Japan set to open first nuclear plant since Fukushima disaster

July 13, 2015
Nuclear power plant in Japan all set to restart reactors after obtaining permit required to reopen.

A Japanese nuclear power plant recently obtained the final permit it needs to restart its reactors, setting it up to be the country's first operational nuclear plant since the 2011 Fukushima disaster. 

The  Nuclear Regulation Authority approved operational safety plans for two reactors at the Sendai nuclear power plant in southern Japan. The plant owner, Kyushu Electric, hopes to restart the plant's two reactors by July and September. The facility only needs on-site safety checks before it can do that.

All of Japan's nuclear power plants shut down for inspection and safety upgrades in the wake of the 2011 disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, where a massive earthquake and tsunami triggered a nuclear meltdown. The Sendai plant, conforming to a host of new safety regulations, would be the first to restart its reactors since then.

Officials say over $100 million was spent to upgrade and improve the facility in the two years since Kyushu applied to restart the plant's reactors two years ago.