Japan

Kansai Electric resumed power generation of its 1,180MW unit 3 of the Ohi nuclear power station. Ohi unit 3 began preparing for startup on June 16, when the national government made a final decided to restart the unit. The reactor started up on July 1 for the first time in about a year and three months and went critical on July 2. The utility will raise the output of the unit stepwise while monitoring the plant state. Unit 3 is expected to begin constant rated thermal power operation as early as July 9. After going through adjustment operation for about one month, and if the inspection outcome is successful, the unit will shift to commercial operation. Kansai Electric Power president Makoto Yagi said on the same day, "We are pleased to be able to supply electricity to our customers after an interval of four and a half months" since all the 11 units of the utility's nuclear power stations had been shut down, and added, "We are taking the first steps toward ensuring safe and stable supply of electricity." Ohi unit with 1,180 MW is expected to start up on July 18 at the earliest, go critical on July 19, be connected to the grid on July 21, and advance to constant rated thermal power operation on July 25.

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Japan is ignoring the safety lessons of the Fukushima crisis, according to two prominent seismologists who  warned against restarting two reactors.

Japan's latest feed-in tariff has the potential to generate US$30 billion by 2016 for the local economy.

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Toshiba will start constructing the biggest PV project in Japan totaling 100MW with an investment of US$379.6 million in the Minami Soma coastline.

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