(MENAFN) Japan is preparing to bring the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata prefecture back online, marking a major step toward reactivating the world’s largest nuclear facility, as stated by reports.

The prefectural governor is expected to approve Tokyo Electric Power’s nuclear plant as soon as Friday, moving the plant closer to reopening for the first time since the 2011 Fukushima disaster. The 8.2-gigawatt plant, which has seven reactors, has remained idle since 2012 following the meltdown at the tsunami-struck Fukushima Daiichi facility.

Niigata Governor Hideyo Hanazumi reportedly told officials that he intends to publicly support the restart and will consult the prefectural assembly, which convenes its monthly session on Dec. 2. If the assembly agrees, the prefecture will notify the Tokyo government that local procedures are complete.

Hanazumi said on Wednesday that his decision on reactivating the plant will be based on the information collected to date. In February, a report from the prefecture’s technical committee found no safety concerns regarding the plant’s compliance with an extensive safety checklist.

Currently, only one of the seven reactors, Unit 6, is prepared for restart. With nuclear fuel already installed, the reactor can be activated at any time. If the process proceeds without issues, it is expected to become operational by the end of March next year.

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