| Russia seeks waiver from nuclear liability law |
NEW DELHI With Russia seeking exemption from Nuclear Liability Law for Kudankulam nuclear plants 3 and 4, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has sought legal opinion on the issue as any waiver could lead to more such demands.
Singh, who is the minister in-charge of the department of atomic energy (DAE), has asked the law ministry whether the two new units to be constructed by Russia at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu can be kept out of the purview of the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act passed by Parliament in 2010. The law ministry is set to refer the matter to Attorney-General GE Vahanvati considering the apprehension that if waiver is granted to Russia, similar demands could come from other countries.
Atomic Energy Commission Chairman RK Sinha said that the prime minister has sought a legal opinion on whether a waiver could be granted for Kudankulam 3 and 4 from the liability law under which an operator will have to pay Rs150 billion upfront compensation in case of an accident.
The query comes against the backdrop of Russia seeking exemption to units 3 and 4, arguing that these were “extensions” of the old project which pre-dated the liability regime. “We understand that if you want same terms of credit, we get same terms of conditions. It would be logical. Nuclear liability is a latter invention,” Russian Ambassador Alexander Kadakin had said sometime back.
Sinha noted that the agreement for setting up Kudankulam plants was signed before the nuclear liability act was passed.
Press Trust of India
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