Kansai Electric Power (Kepco) has restarted its No. 2 reactor at the Takahama nuclear plant in central Japan, Fukui Prefecture. This reactor, which began commercial operations in 1975, is the second oldest in Japan. It is the 12th unit to be restarted in the country since the Fukushima accident in 2011. The restart of this reactor means that Kansai Electric Power Co. has now resumed operating all seven of its reactors after stricter safety standards were introduced following the nuclear meltdown crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi complex. The Fukushima accident was triggered by an earthquake and tsunami in 2011. Despite the accident, the Japanese government, led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, is emphasizing the reliance on nuclear power generation to reduce carbon emissions and ensure stable sources of energy. In May, Japan’s parliament enacted a bill to allow nuclear reactors in the country to be operated beyond the current limit of 60 years.
(Source: The Mainichi/The Japan Times/Wikipedia – Image: Wikipedia)