Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) has restarted a unit at its Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power station after operations were suspended in January shortly after the initial restart.

Press reports in Japan, quoting a Tepco spokesperson, said Unit 6 at the facility in Niigata Prefecture, western Japan, was restarted at 14:00 local time on 9 February. The unit’s power output will be gradually increased, with the goal of full commercial operation on 18 March. The utility which owns and operates the Kashiwazaki Kariwa facility, was initially aiming for Feb. 26 before the hiccup.

The restart of Kashiwazaki Kariwa-6 was initially suspended last month a day after the process began.