Japan restarts reactor damaged in 2011 earthquake

Amid protests, Tohoku Electric Power Co on Tuesday restarted the Onagawa nuclear power plant's No 2 unit in Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, more than 13 years after the reactor was damaged by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

This marks the 13th nuclear power reactor restart since the Great East Japan Earthquake and the first in the disaster-affected region.

Onagawa plant's No 2 unit is a boiling-water reactor, the same type used at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, and is the first of its kind to restart since the 2011 disaster. Many of the inactive reactors in eastern Japan are of the same type.

Tohoku Electric initiated reactor reactivation on Tuesday night by removing control rods, with power generation expected to begin in early November.

Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yoji Muto expressed hope that the restart could encourage momentum for additional nuclear restarts.

In May, Chugoku Electric Power Co received regulatory approval for the systems and procedures necessary to safely operate the No 2 unit of the Shimane Nuclear Power Plant, with final preparations underway for an early December restart. Beyond that, 13 other reactors are currently undergoing inspections for potential restarts, though specific timelines remain undetermined.

Before the earthquake, nuclear plants provided up to 30 percent of Japan's energy supply, but this dropped significantly after the nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Under the former administration of Fumio Kishida, the Japanese government shifted the policy promoting nuclear restarts, a stance that has been upheld by the Shigeru Ishiba administration.

With the growth of generative AI, the construction of new data centers and semiconductor factories is expected to drive up electricity demand in Japan. According to the Organization for Cross-regional Coordination of Transmission Operators, the required power supply will increase by 5.37 million kilowatts in the 2033 fiscal year compared to the 2023 fiscal year.

Japan's current Basic Energy Plan targets nuclear power to account for 20-22 percent of the energy mix by 2030, a substantial increase from the 5.5 percent share recorded in the 2022 fiscal year.

As the Japanese government moves forward with plans to restart nuclear reactors, public concerns over nuclear safety persist.

On Tuesday, about 30 protesters gathered near the Onagawa plant to voice their opposition to the restart of the reactor. Two civic groups released a joint statement opposing the resumption, citing ongoing concerns about the evacuation plan, which they say could leave nearby residents stranded in the event of an emergency.