Energy
Japan Approves First Restart of a Nuclear Reactor in Four Years
The spent fuel pool at the Tomari nuclear power plant in Tomari, Hokkaido, Japan, in 2014.
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Japan’s atomic watchdog cleared the first nuclear restart since 2021, a shot in the arm for the government’s effort to increase power generation from the energy source and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority on Wednesday approved a preliminary report saying Hokkaido Electric Power Co.’s Tomari No. 3 reactor meets post-Fukushima safety rules, according to a live stream of the hearing. Hokkaido Electric’s president said in March that he expected the unit to restart in 2027.