Kansai Electric Power Co. (Kepco) will begin the process of building a next-generation reactor at its Mihama nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture, the first new reactor in Japan since the 2011 meltdown at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.

“From today onward, we will be proceeding with offering explanations to local residents and others in preparation for the geological survey,” Kepco President Nozomu Mori said at a news conference on Tuesday.

“In our resource-poor country, it is important for nuclear power to continue to play a role in the future” from the standpoint of safety, energy security, economic efficiency and the environment, he said.