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Jaitapur nuclear plant work may not start before 2014 France, says Bernard Bigot, remains committed to fulfil all its obligations LiveMint.com 28 Nov 11Makarand Gadgil Mumbai: French Atomic Energy Commission chairman Bernard Bigot said on Monday that work on the Jaitapur nuclear power project in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra was unlikely to start before 2014 due to regulatory hurdles
He referred to the delay in concluding the commercial contract between Areva and the government-owned Nuclear Power Corp. of India Ltd (NPCIL) in remarks to reporters in Mumbai after meeting Srikumar Banerjee, chairman of the Indian Atomic Energy Commission.

“We were waiting for the implementation rules to be published under the civil nuclear liability law,” he said after meeting Banerjee. “Once Parliament approves these rules, we can go ahead with thenegotiations.

“For instance, one such rule says that in the case of a nuclear accident, the primary responsibility lies with the operator (NPCIL) who has recourse against the supplier only under certain circumstances,” he said. “We are hoping that the Indian Parliament
will approve these rules at the earliest,” he said…..

A research paper published in the 25 November issue of Current Science by Roger Bilham, professor of geology at Colorado university, Vinod Kumar Gaur, professor, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, said Jaitapur and adjoining areas may witness earthquakes up to 6 on the Richter scale….
Responding to Japan’s reluctance to supply certain components for Areva’s EPRs in India —as the South Asian nation is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)—Bigot said, “Both India and France will try to pursue Japan to provide India these components for Indian EPRs as India’s record on non-proliferation is impeccable.

But if Japan refuses to supply, Areva has alternative arrangements in place but sourcing this component from an alternative source will be more costly compared to components manufactured in Japan as it has all the necessary infrastructure in place.”..
http://www.livemint.com/2011/11/29004029/Jaitapur-nuclear-plant-work-ma.html?h=B