TEPCO asks for restart operations of Kashiwazaki unit

The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has asked permission from three local governments to restart operations of Unit No. 7 of its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Station.

This was prompted by a "no safety hazard" evaluation jointly given by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA), and the Nuclear Safety Commission of Japan (NSC). TEPCO has conducted inspections and restorations on the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Station from 13 February to 19 February, which suffered damage as a result of the 2007 Niigata-Chuetsu-Oki earthquake.

The positive evaluation has prompted TEPCO to ask the Niigata prefecture, the Kashiwazaki city, and the Kariwa village for restart of operations of its Unit 7.