Despite Fukushima Crisis, TEPCO Moves to Re-Start World's Largest Nuclear Plant

Tokyo Electric Power Co. is pushing to re-activate the world’s largest nuclear power plant despite the failure of its own efforts to contain the crisis of ongoing leaks of radiation and contaminated water at its Fukushima Daiichi facility.

TEPCO officials submitted documents Friday requesting safety checks on two reactors at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant, the first step in the process of re-starting the plant. According to Bloomberg, the company—which has been criticized for putting profit above human lives and environmental well-being—saw a jump in its share price following announcement of the paperwork process.

Despite the Japanese government’s public criticisms of TEPCO for failing to take responsibility for the Fukushima disaster, state officials are allowing them to move forward with steps to re-start the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant, which is located approximately 300 kilometers northwest of Tokyo. Niigata Governor Hirohiko Izumida gave the go-ahead for the safety checks.