Japan's Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant could restart in January, Jiji reports

Jiji News Agency quoted the director of the Kashiwazaki Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant, Japan's largest nuclear plant. The restart could happen as early as January, pending the consent of regional authorities.

Last week, a regional governor in Japan gave his approval for a partial restart at the plant. This is as Japan attempts to revitalize its nuclear sector while reducing fossil fuel imports. Niigata Prefecture Assembly is scheduled to vote on this decision in its regular session starting on December 2.

The Unit No. 6 at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa can be restarted as early as January, if the consent process is complete by the end the year. Director Takeyuki Inagaki told Jiji that the plant's Unit No. 6, one of its two largest units, could be restarted as soon as January.

Tokyo Electric Power Co - the operator - would then apply to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, after the assembly had approved, for a pre use confirmation of Unit 6. Inagaki stated that the process typically takes three to one month.

If approved by the regional Assembly, this would be TEPCO's first restart since a 2011 nuclear accident at its Fukushima-Daiichi plant for which they continue to pay compensation.

(source: Reuters)