The governor of Japan’s Niigata Prefecture, home to the world’s largest nuclear power plant, is preparing to approve its restart as early as this week, according to local media reports on Wednesday. The decision would remove the final barrier to Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings’ (TEPCO) long-standing goal of bringing the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa facility back online, more than a decade after the Fukushima nuclear disaster prompted its shutdown.

Kyodo News reported that Governor Hideyo Hanazumi is expected to announce his approval by Friday, allowing a partial resumption of operations. Hanazumi will present his decision to the prefectural assembly when its regular session begins on December 2. If endorsed, he will formally notify the national government of his consent, according to the Nikk

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