India is NOT watering down its Nuclear Liability Law to suit USA’s nuclear salesmen

India in 2010 passed a law making suppliers of nuclear reactors and other equipment liable for any accidents. This spooked companies that wanted to sell nuclear technology 

Local media last month reported that the government may dilute the nuclear-liability law in order to push through the deal with Westinghouse. 

“No compromise of any kind has been made,” said the official at the Department of Atomic Energy. “All these reports are false.” 

India Official: Won’t Relax Nuclear-Liability Rules Nuclear Power Corp. of India, Westinghouse Sign Preliminary Contract  WSJ, By  BIMAN MUKHERJI 2 Oct 13
NEW DELHI—India won’t relax a law holding suppliers of nuclear-power equipment responsible for accidents, a senior government official said Thursday, denying media reports that suggested it could bend rules to allow a reactor-supply deal with Westinghouse Electric Co. to go through.

State-run Nuclear Power Corp. of India Ltd. signed a preliminary contract with U.S.-based Westinghouse late last month, the Indian company said. Westinghouse didn’t reply to emailed questions.

“This is an early-works agreement,” said the official who works at the Department of Atomic Energy. “In this, the question of liability does not come.”

The department oversees Nuclear Power Corp.

India in 2010 passed a law making suppliers of nuclear reactors and other equipment liable for any accidents. This spooked companies that wanted to sell nuclear technology as the standard international practice is to hold plant operators responsible.

The law made companies such as Westinghouse, an American unit of Japan’s Toshiba Corp., cautious on signing supply deals even years after a 2008 civil nuclear agreement between New Delhi and Washington ended a moratorium on nuclear-related trade with India.

Local media last month reported that the government may dilute the nuclear-liability law in order to push through the deal with Westinghouse. The options included allowing Nuclear Power Corp. to drop from the contract its right to claim compensation from the manufacturer, they reported.

Murli Manohar Joshi of the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party told the Press Trust of India news agency recently that the government was sacrificing the interests of the country to help U.S. companies.

“No compromise of any kind has been made,” said the official at the Department of Atomic Energy. “All these reports are false.” The initial contract between the two companies covering preliminary regulatory and site-development work for a planned complex in the western state of Gujarat was signed during Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to the U.S.

Once the preliminary work is complete, the two companies would need clearances from the Department of Atomic Energy as well as the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board before proceeding with a commercial contract for the supply of equipment and construction of the reactor…….http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304176904579112751938969842.html

October 4, 2013 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | India, Legal