Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s road back to becoming a nuclear power utility remains uncertain amid staunch local opposition to restarting the facility at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa in Niigata Prefecture.
The plant is the world's biggest nuclear power facility.
Niigata Gov. Hirohiko Izumida said after meeting regulators on Monday that the time isn't right to consider whether the utility can restart the facility. While not enshrined in law, local government approval is traditionally sought by utilities before they bring atomic plants online.