(MENAFN) Japanese regulators on Friday authorized the first restart of a major nuclear facility since the 2011 Fukushima catastrophe, according to media.

Approval was granted for Reactor No. 6 at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear complex after Hideyo Hanazumi, governor of Niigata Prefecture, endorsed the plan. The unit is slated to resume operations in March 2026.

The seven-reactor, 8.2-gigawatt installation has remained offline since 2012, a year after the Fukushima Daiichi meltdown caused by a devastating tsunami. The national government has pushed for renewed operations, calling nuclear power a “stable and carbon-free energy source.”

Operator TEPCO described the restart as vital to its business strategy, saying the anticipated revenue would help support compensation for communities impacted by the Fukushima disaster.

The governor is set to brief the regional assembly when its monthly session opens Dec. 2. If lawmakers sign off, authorities will notify the central government that all local procedures have been completed.

A technical review published in February by the prefecture’s expert committee reported no safety deficiencies in the plant’s upgraded systems.

Reactor No. 6 is the only unit prepared for activation, with nuclear fuel already loaded. If remaining steps proceed as planned, the reactor is expected to be fully operational by the end of March 2026.

MENAFN22112025000045017169ID1110381704