Tokyo Electric Power Co. has successfully restarted a reactor at its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa facility, the world's largest nuclear power plant, following a month-long delay caused by technical issues. The move signals Japan's continued push to revive its nuclear energy sector after the 2011 Fukushima disaster.

The restart comes as Japan faces mounting pressure to secure stable power supplies while reducing carbon emissions. Nuclear power accounted for just 7.2% of Japan's electricity mix in 2022, down from 30% before Fukushima, forcing utilities to rely on costly fossil fuel imports.

Regulators had paused the reactor's planned August restart after discovering safety system irregularities. Tokyo Electric completed additional inspections and implemented corrective measures to meet stricter post-Fukushima safety standards.

Quick Fact: Kashiwazaki-Kariwa has seven reactors with total capacity of 8.2 gigawatts.