Damage claim for nuclear accident only under liability law, says Government

NEW DELHI: The nuclear liability law is the only law under which victims can claim damages in case of a nuclear accident, the government said yesterady. Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Parliament that the CLNDA is the "only applicable law in so far as matters relating to such civil liability for nuclear damage are concerned".

This assertion is significant following the understanding reached with the US on issues of liability and compensation. India clarified, and the US agreed, that the controversial Article 46 did not mean that victims could file for damages from suppliers under all other laws of India. In answer to a question in Parliament, the department of atomic energy (DAE) stated, " CLND Act 2010 assures prompt compensation to the victims of a nuclear incident through a no-fault liability regime channeling liability to the operator alone."

Refuting criticism about nuclear power being expensive, the government stated the tariffs of electricity generated through nuclear power are comparable to those from fossil fuels like coal. "The tariffs of nuclear power generated by various projects range from 97 paise per unit for the first generation plants at Tarapur to 394 paise per unit for the latest commissioned plant at Kudankulam," it stated. Meanwhile, coal (non-pithead) costs 375-529 paise per unit, (pithead) costs 147-385 paise, LNG costs 920-1288 paise per unit and diesel 846-1367 paise per unit, it said.

The government also said there five reactors at various stages of construction would add another 3300 MW generating capacity. These are Kakrapar 3&4 in Gujarat, Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (RAPP 7&8), and the prototype fast breeder reactor by BHAVINI at Kalpakkam. Besides, the indigenous pressurized heavy water reactors are being scaled up from 220 MW to 700 MW, which, the government said, will bring down the cost of nuclear power.

Since 2008, when India and US signed the landmark nuclear deal, nuclear power generation in the country had gone up from 14927 million units (MU) of electricity in 2008-09 to 35333 MU in 2013-14. But this is well short of target.