The largest coal-fired power plant in Hokkaido restarted one of its three units Wednesday, almost two weeks after the complex was damaged by a powerful earthquake that rocked Japan's northernmost main island and triggered a prefecture-wide blackout.

The restart of the No. 1 unit at Hokkaido Electric Power Co.'s Tomatoatsuma plant, which provided about half the prefecture's electricity, eases worries about a future power crisis following the complete power outage triggered by the Sept. 6 quake.

"The output fluctuates depending on demand but (the No. 1 unit) can now generate up to 350,000 kilowatts," a public relations official of the utility said.

With the unit's resumption and power generation by other facilities, the company is now able to supply about 4 million kw of electricity, enabling it to stably cover the needs of Hokkaido for this time of year.

(No. 1 unit of  the coal-fired Tomatoatsuma power plant)

Businesses in Hokkaido had scaled back operations after the temblor to limit electricity consumption and to avoid further power outages, but most are expected to have resumed normal activities.

Retailers are lighting up their stores and the iconic neon Nikka Whisky sign is again illuminated in Susukino, the prefectural capital Sapporo's main entertainment district.

"The city was only dimly lit, but now it can become vibrant again," a 53-year-old office worker in the city said.

Lights in convenience store beverage sections across Sapporo have been switched off since the quake jolted the area.

"We want to use the lights as soon as possible to brighten the shop's atmosphere," a 46-year-old convenience store worker said.

The central government and Hokkaido Electric have dropped their target of a 20 percent reduction in electricity use in the prefecture from the pre-quake weekday peak demand and are now calling for general energy-saving efforts.

The Hokkaido government said it will continue its efforts to reduce power consumption, but a prefectural official said that the local government will consider restarting some elevators and using more lights in their office building.

According to an estimate by Hokkaido Electric, power demand for Wednesday will peak between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. at 3.83 million kw in Hokkaido. The company is expected to secure a reserved capacity rate of 4 percent, exceeding the 3 percent line deemed a threshold for stable power supply.

The utility had sought to restart the No. 1 unit on Tuesday but postponed after preparation work took longer than expected. The quake severed pipes, started a fire and caused other damage at the plant.

The company said it plans to bring the No. 2 and 4 units back online swiftly. Its No. 3 unit was scrapped in 2005.

When fully operational, the three-unit Tomatoatsuma plant generates 1.65 million kw.