Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (Tepco) said it now aims to restart a reactor at its Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power station in Niigata Prefecture, western Japan, in the fiscal year 2025, which starts next month.

The plan means the restart has been brought forward from a schedule announced recently of 2029.

Press reports in Japan said that according to changes made to the power utility’s business plan, approved by the government on 17 March, the restart of the reactor is expected to boost its earnings by around $672m (€615m) per year.