The world's biggest nuclear power plant is set to restart on Wednesday (January 21, 2026) for the first time since the 2011 Fukushima disaster, its Japanese operator said, despite persistent safety concerns among residents. The Governor of Niigata province, where the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant is located, approved its resumption last month, although public opinion remains sharply divided. Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is the world's biggest nuclear power plant by potential capacity, although just one reactor of seven is restarting Wednesday (January 21, 2026). Before the 2011 disaster — which killed around 18,000 people — nuclear power generated about a third of Japan's electricity. Meanwhile Japan still faces the daunting task of decommissioning the Fukushima plant, a project expected to take decades.

Source: The Hindu January 21, 2026 11:01 UTC