Shimane No. 2 Reactor in Matsue Restarted After 13 Years, 14th Post-Fukushima

Dec 7, 2024, 06:05 AM

Chugoku Electric Power Co. has restarted the No. 2 reactor at the Shimane Nuclear Power Plant in Matsue, Shimane Prefecture, marking the first operational restart of a nuclear reactor in a prefectural capital in Japan. The reactor, which had been offline for 13 years since January 2012, resumed operations on December 7, 2024, making it the 14th reactor to be restarted since the implementation of stricter safety regulations following the Fukushima nuclear disaster. The restart comes amidst Japan's efforts to reduce its reliance on fossil fuel imports by increasing nuclear power generation. The reactor, which shares the same design as the reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, is expected to begin sending electricity to the grid by late December, with commercial operations set to commence in early January 2025 after regulatory approval. The restart has raised concerns about evacuation plans, as approximately 450,000 people live within a 30-kilometer radius of the plant, making it one of the most densely populated areas near a nuclear facility in Japan.