Nuclear Power Projects In India And Liability Issues

First Published in Construction Law International, Volume 5, Issue 1, March 2010.

[Transcript of talk delivered on 5^th October 2009 at Madrid on the occasion of the International Bar Association Annual Conference]

My talk is in two parts. In the first part I propose to give a bird's eye view of our nuclear and power sector. In the second part I would like to talk about India's nuclear liability regime.

Part I

Current Power Situation:

On paper we are the 5^th largest producer of electricity in the world. Our transmission and distribution system is the 3^rd largest in the world. But these are misleading figures. In reality India has one of the lowest per capita power consumption in the world i.e. a mere 700 KW per annum. The transmission and distribution losses are about 40%. Power outrages are common with 16% shortfall at peak demand time.