Nuclear Power Revival Halted: Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Plant Faces Setback

The restart of Japan's Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant was halted due to a control rod glitch, shortly after resuming post-2011 Fukushima disaster. TEPCO, the operator, faced scrutiny following Fukushima's fallout and is under pressure as Japan increases atomic energy usage amid rising electricity demands.

The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Japan faced a setback on Thursday when the restart of its No. 6 reactor was suspended due to a control rod malfunction. This interruption occurred mere hours after the reactor resumed operations for the first time since the catastrophic Fukushima disaster in 2011.

Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO), which manages the plant, assured the public that the glitch posed no safety threats while it investigates the issue. The plant's reopening is being closely monitored given TEPCO's history with the Fukushima incident and Japan's growing reliance on nuclear energy to satisfy escalating electricity demands.

The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa facility's output capacity of 8 million kilowatts classifies it as the largest globally, with TEPCO planning to reactivate only two of its seven reactors, including No. 6. Once operational, this reactor could power over one million homes in the Tokyo region.

(With inputs from agencies.)