Japan utility gets OK to restart 3 old nuclear reactors April 28, 2021 at 7:34 pm TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese utility received local consent on Wednesday to restart three aging nuclear reactors, clearing the final hurdle needed to put them back online and help meet the country’s ambitious carbon emissions reduction target. Kansai Electric Power Co. said it received approval from Fukui prefecture, home to the three reactors, Takahama No. 1 and No. 2 and Mihama No. 3, which have all operated more than 40 years. The approval from Fukui Gov. Tatsuji Sugimoto is the first for aging reactors to operate beyond their 40-year intended life. The Nuclear Regulation Authority has granted each reactor a 20-year extension under toughened safety standards set after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.