Japan restarts nuclear plant

TOKYO — Japan's Tokyo Electric Power Company, or TEPCO, on Wednesday restarted a reactor at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture despite local opposition, marking the first operated by TEPCO to go back online since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Reactor No 6 at the seven-unit complex began its nuclear reaction shortly after 7 pm local time. The utility said it received approval from the country's Nuclear Regulation Authority to conduct trial operations earlier in the day.

The facility was taken offline when Japan pulled the plug on nuclear power after a colossal earthquake and a tsunami caused a meltdown at three Fukushima atomic plant reactors in 2011.

TEPCO initially planned to bring the reactor back online on Tuesday, but had to postpone due to an alarm malfunction during a test operation.

According to a survey conducted in September, about 60 percent of residents oppose the restart, while 37 percent support it.

Despite the dispute, Niigata Governor Hideyo Hanazumi gave the green light for the plant restart last November and the prefectural assembly followed up a month later.

Local residents raised concerns about the risk of the restart, citing frequent cover-up scandals, minor accidents and evacuation plans they say are inadequate.

"I think it's impossible to evacuate in an emergency," said Chie Takakuwa, a resident of Kariwa.

Xinhua - Agencies