Liability issue needs to be sorted out soon: US Energy Secy

As the liability issue continues to be the sticking point in Indo-US civil nuclear energy cooperation, the US government expects the two countries to come up with a solution in the next few months.
"There is not much progress on the Indo-US civil nuclear energy cooperation due to the challenges especially on the issue of resolving the liability question. There have been certain positive steps taken in that direction but both the countries are yet to arrive at a solution," US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz today said at an event here.
"R&D programmes have been undertaken as a part of the co-operation deal. But these issues have to be resolved in such a way that will satisfy the liability norms of both the countries," he said.

Moniz said the two countries will take up the issues aggressively in the next few months to resolve them as soon as possible.
"We are working in this direction and we hope that in summer we will be able to pick them (issues) up aggressively," he said.
The Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act is aimed at enabling operator of nuclear power plants in India to seek partial compensation from suppliers in case of accidents.
But suppliers of nuclear equipment from the US, Canada and other countries are seeing the Nuclear Damage Act as a deterrent in selling nuclear reactors to India.

"The liability issue needs to be resolved soon. The issue is not only about American or other international companies which are reluctant to build here, but even Indian supplier will have the same risk. Therefore, it is necessary that they are resolved soon," Monzi added.