Manmohan Singh seeks legal opinion on Russia wanting Nuclear Liability immunity

Chennai, Aug 4 (ANI): Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has sought legal opinion on Russia's demand to exempt upcoming Kudankulam nuclear plants 3 and 4 from Nuclear Liability Law, Minister of State (MoS) at Prime Minister's Office (PMO), V Narayanasamy, said here on Saturday.

Russia has sought immunity from the law- which stipulates that the operator will have to pay a compensation of rupees 15,000 crore in case of any problem- arguing that these units are extensions of the old project that pre-dates the rule.

The Nuclear Power Corporation of India officials were in talks with Russian government on the issue, Narayanasamy revealed.

Interacting with reporters here, Narayanasamy said, "When it comes to the question of the supplier's liability, the state government is raising some queries. The Prime Minister has sent the papers for getting the legal opinion. It was in the media also. As soon as the legal opinion comes, we will decide. The negotiations are going on between the Nuclear Power Corporation of India officials and Russian government over that issue."

Established as a joint collaboration between India and Russia, the Kudankulam nuclear power project envisaged to build two 1,000 MW VVER type reactors by the end of last year.

Twenty-four years in the making, the Russian-built plant was supposed to be switched on last year, but protesters surrounded it and prevented work after the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan. (ANI)