Japan suspends world’s largest nuclear power plant due to reactor malfunction

Japan has suspended operations at the world’s largest nuclear power plant, hours after its restart, the BBC writes.

An alarm sounded “during reactor-start-up procedures” at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa in Tokyo but the reactor remained “stable”, Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) spokesperson Takashi Kobayashi said.

Reactor number six restarted on Wednesday a day later than planned due to an alarm malfunction – the first at the plant to be turned on since the 2011 Fukashima disaster.

Japan shut down all of its 54 reactors after a 9.0 magnitude earthquake triggered a meltdown at its Fukashima plant 15 years ago, causing one of the worst nuclear disasters in history.

At the time, radiation leakage from the plant forced more than 150,000 people to evacuate their homes. Many have not returned despite assurances it is now safe.

The reactor is due to begin operating commercially next month.