TEPCO Halts Nuclear Reactor Reboot in Japan Just One Day After Significant Restart

Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), Japan’s largest utility, has temporarily halted the restart process of its nuclear power plant located in Niigata prefecture. This decision comes less than 24 hours after the utility resumed operations of its first reactor since the catastrophic Fukushima disaster in 2011.

According to a spokesperson, TEPCO was compelled to stop the restart process for the No. 6 reactor at its Kashiwazaki Kariwa plant on Thursday due to an issue with an electrical component. The restart process had commenced just after 7 p.m. local time on Wednesday.

Kashiwazaki Kariwa holds the title of the world’s largest nuclear power plant, and its restart signifies a pivotal moment for Japan, a nation still dealing with the repercussions of the Fukushima meltdown. It took TEPCO several years to obtain local approval to restart the facility, largely due to past safety missteps and ongoing concerns from the public.

The issue reported on Thursday involved a component within the control panel that is responsible for operating and monitoring the reactor’s control rods, which play a crucial role in regulating the nuclear chain reaction. At this time, it remains unclear when the restart process will be able to resume.

Following the announcement, TEPCO shares, which had closed 5% higher the previous day, were trading 2% lower at 704.60 yen ($4.45) as of 12:47 p.m. local time.

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Copyright 2026 Bloomberg.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), Japan’s largest utility, has temporarily halted the restart process of its nuclear power plant located in Niigata prefecture. This decision comes less than 24 hours after the utility resumed operations of its first reactor since the catastrophic Fukushima disaster in 2011.

According to a spokesperson, TEPCO was compelled to stop the restart process for the No. 6 reactor at its Kashiwazaki Kariwa plant on Thursday due to an issue with an electrical component. The restart process had commenced just after 7 p.m. local time on Wednesday.

Kashiwazaki Kariwa holds the title of the world’s largest nuclear power plant, and its restart signifies a pivotal moment for Japan, a nation still dealing with the repercussions of the Fukushima meltdown. It took TEPCO several years to obtain local approval to restart the facility, largely due to past safety missteps and ongoing concerns from the public.

The issue reported on Thursday involved a component within the control panel that is responsible for operating and monitoring the reactor’s control rods, which play a crucial role in regulating the nuclear chain reaction. At this time, it remains unclear when the restart process will be able to resume.

Following the announcement, TEPCO shares, which had closed 5% higher the previous day, were trading 2% lower at 704.60 yen ($4.45) as of 12:47 p.m. local time.

Related:

Copyright 2026 Bloomberg.