A power utility in Japan is appealing a court’s ban against it restarting a nuclear plant.

A district judge yesterday blocked Kansai Electric from restarting two nuclear reactors north of Osaka.

Residents near Ohi where the plant is located had filed suit against a decision by Japan's nuclear regulators to allow the reactors back online.

A dormant fault line underneath the reactors is at the center of the controversy.

Activists say the fault presents a risk, despite thousands of years of inactivity.

Kansai Electric today (Thursday) appealed the judge’s ruling, insisting the Ohi plant is safe.

Japan used to get 30% of its electricity from nuclear power before the Fukushima disaster.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government wants to restore nuclear power as a core energy source.