Under the revised schedule, the facilities for Unit 6 will be completed five years later than originally scheduled—in September 2031 rather than in September 2026—while those for Unit 7 will be completed around four and half years later than originally planned, in September 2029 rather than in March 2025.
At a press conference held on the same day, Takeyuki Inagaki, the site director of Kashiwazaki Kariwa NPPs, explained that it was difficult to predict the completion timeline for the facilities as it was an unprecedented and highly large-scale construction project.
He also pointed out such challenges as the volume of construction work and labor shortages, while emphasizing that the work would continue, with safety as the top priority, ensuring steady progress step by step.
The emergency response buildings are a regulatory requirement under Japan’s new nuclear safety standards. They will serve as backup systems to prevent reactor containment vessel damage in case of large-scale destruction caused by an intentional aircraft collision or similar attacks, rendering a wide range of equipment unusable.
A five-year grace period is put in place after the work plan for the installation is approved, so the installation deadlines were initially set at October 2025 for Unit 6 and September 2029 for Unit 7.
Due to security concerns, specific details regarding the construction of these facilities have not been disclosed. Meanwhile, fuel loading has already been completed at Unit 7.
Inagaki stated that Unit 7 is technically ready for operation since it has met the new regulatory standards for severe accident response facilities and passed the review by the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA). However, he also stressed the importance of thorough functional testing and safety verification during the upcoming trial operation.
Inagaki further emphasized the critical role of nuclear power in ensuring a stable electricity supply for the country, stating, “Japan’s balance of electricity supply and demand—which remains tight throughout the year— is particularly severe during the period of summer peak demand. That is especially true in eastern Japan, where most nuclear power plants (NPPs) remain offline, with only a limited number in operation.”
Regarding the restart of the Kashiwazaki Kariwa NPPs, he reaffirmed TEPCO’s commitment to engaging with the local community, stating, “Restarting operations will only be possible with the understanding of local residents. We will continue to make every effort to provide thorough explanations to gain their support.”
Currently, the decision of the governor of Niigata Prefecture regarding the restart of Kashiwazaki Kariwa NPPs remains a key issue. The prefectural technical committee has submitted a report to the governor, stating that there are no major concerns regarding most of the 22 verification points related to disaster prevention measures following the TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident of March 2011. A hearing with relevant administrative bodies by the Niigata Prefectural Assembly is expected to take place in March.
