Kashiwazaki Kariwa's Nuclear Power Plant Resumption Plan and Local Conflicts - Kariwa Village, Niigata Prefecture, 2001 to 2020s

Kashiwazaki Kariwa's Nuclear Power Plant Resumption Plan and Local Conflicts - Kariwa Village, Niigata Prefecture, 2001 to 2020s

The Kashiwazaki Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant, located between Kariwa Village and Kashiwazaki City in Niigata Prefecture, was discussed in 2001 as part of a plan to add 10 to 13 reactors. The plan was intended to reduce annual CO2 emissions by several million tons, but the risk of earthquake disaster and concerns about radioactive waste management led to deep conflicts with local residents. At the time, the annual subsidy from the nuclear power plant contributed approximately 7 billion yen to the village's finances, but the debate over safety was never settled.

After the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident in 2011, all Kashiwazaki Kariwa reactors were shut down; of the seven reactors, Units 6 and 7 met the new regulatory standards but did not resume operation; in 2017, a piping problem was uncovered, and in 2019, inadequate radioactive material management was also exposed. During this period, Niigata Prefecture's technical committee scrutinized evacuation plans and earthquake response capabilities. In particular, the effectiveness of evacuation plans during the winter snow season was identified as an issue.

In December 2023, the nuclear fuel transfer prohibition order was lifted, and the procedures for restarting operations progressed. According to the report of the technical committee, the restart of one nuclear reactor is expected to reduce fuel costs by more than 100 billion yen per year. However, the concerns of local residents and citizens' groups persist, and evacuation plans and ensuring reliability are the biggest issues.

The story of the Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power plant over the past 20 years or so has been etched as a symbol of the conflict between economic interests, safety, and the future of local residents.