TEPCO Resumes Commercial Operations at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Plant After 14-Year Hiatus
Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has officially resumed commercial operations at Unit 6 of its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant in Niigata Prefecture, marking the first time a TEPCO nuclear facility has returned to service in 14 years. The 1.356 million kilowatt unit, capable of generating approximately 10 billion kilowatt-hours annually, passed final inspections by Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority on April 16, 2026. This restart follows significant delays caused by security lapses and technical malfunctions, despite initial safety approval in 2017. The move is critical for TEPCO, which has suffered negative free cash flow for seven consecutive years due to mounting costs from the 2011 Fukushima disaster cleanup and safety upgrades. While the company anticipates an annual earnings improvement of roughly 100 billion yen, it acknowledges that restarting Units 6 and 7 alone will not fundamentally resolve its financial struggles amid rising operational costs. Electricity rates for customers remain unchanged as the restart was factored into prior pricing structures.
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TEPCO Resumes Commercial Operations at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Plant After 14-Year Hiatus
Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has officially resumed commercial operations at Unit 6 of its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant in Niigata Prefecture, marking the first time a TEPCO nuclear facility has returned to service in 14 years. The 1.356 million kilowatt unit, capable of generating approximately 10 billion kilowatt-hours annually, passed final inspections by Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority on April 16, 2026. This restart follows significant delays caused by security lapses and technical malfunctions, despite initial safety approval in 2017. The move is critical for TEPCO, which has suffered negative free cash flow for seven consecutive years due to mounting costs from the 2011 Fukushima disaster cleanup and safety upgrades. While the company anticipates an annual earnings improvement of roughly 100 billion yen, it acknowledges that restarting Units 6 and 7 alone will not fundamentally resolve its financial struggles amid rising operational costs. Electricity rates for customers remain unchanged as the restart was factored into prior pricing structures.
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