The restart of the largest nuclear reactor in the world was allowed by local authorities in Japan on Friday, marking a significant milestone in the process of getting it back online following the 2011 Fukushima accident.
The governor of Niigata province, where the Kashiwazaki Kariwa facility is situated, Hideyo Hanazumi, stated during a press conference that he "would approve" the resumption, which will require final approval from the nation's nuclear regulator.
When Japan turned off nuclear electricity following the 2011 meltdown of the Fukushima Daiichi plant due to a tsunami, the Kashiwazaki Kariwa reactor was shut down.
However, the resource poor nation now seeks to lessen its reliance on imported fossil fuels and reinvigorate atomic energy.
After stringent safety regulations were put in place, a total of 14 reactors, primarily in the western and southern regions, have already started up again.
Once final license is obtained, the Kashiwazaki Kariwa plant will be the first restart for Fukushima operator Tepco following the accident.
