Tepco Expects Kashiwazaki: Kariwa's reactor to start commercial operation next week

Tokyo Electric Power Holdings

10/04/2026 11:07

TOKYO, April 10 (Reuters) - Tokyo Electric Power 9501.T expects the No.6 reactor at its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant to start commercial operation on April 16, the company's president Tomoaki Kobayakawa said on Friday.

TEPCO shut down the No.6 reactor, which has a capacity of 1,360 megawatts, after a malfunction was detected in late January, a day after the unit went online for the first time in about 14 years. It restarted it in February.

Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is the world's biggest nuclear power plant.

"With 80% of electricity in the Tokyo area generated by thermal power, and given risks from the Middle East crisis such as fuel shortages and soaring resource prices, it is important to continue utilising nuclear power," Kobayakawa told reporters.

The No.6 unit would generate about 10 billion kilowatt-hour a year, covering 4–5% of demand in the area and therefore serving as a substitute for fossil fuels, he added.

Kobayakawa declined to comment on the impact of the planned commercial operation of the unit on earnings for the financial year that began this month.

He also declined to comment on potential alliance partners or the timing of any deals.

TEPCO said in early February that it had begun seeking alliance partners as part of restructuring efforts to improve its financial situation and pursue growth.

The utility has drawn interest from Blackstone, Apollo Global Management and SoftBank among others for a planned capital tie-up, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Thursday.

 (Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)

 ((Yuka.Obayashi@thomsonreuters.com; +813-4563-2761;))