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Hokkaido Governor Approves Restart of Tomari No. 3 Reactor After 12-Year Review

HEPCO is preparing a 19‑meter seawall to meet requirements for a planned early‑2027 restart.

Overview

  • Governor Naomichi Suzuki granted consent on Dec. 10 after site checks and approvals from the host village and three neighboring municipalities.
  • The No. 3 unit cleared Nuclear Regulation Authority safety screening, concluding a process that began in 2013 and stretched about 12 years.
  • HEPCO is constructing a 1.2‑kilometer seawall rising 19 meters above sea level on bedrock to address liquefaction risks, with work about half complete by late October.
  • The operator is targeting an early 2027 restart and must still secure NRA approvals for its construction plan and plant safety regulations.
  • HEPCO projects average household electricity bills could fall about 11% after the restart, supporting new demand from Rapidus’s chip plant and planned AI data centers.