Tamil Nadu n-plant big on Russian visit
15 Oct 2012
Russian deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin, on a visit to India, made it clear today that the cost of the controversial Kudankulam atomic project in Tamil Nadu would go up if Russia has to foot the bill for additional liabilities arising from a possible accident.
Russia seems to be upping the ante at a time when the Kudankalum nuclear power project (KNPP), long mired in controversy, gets close to becoming operational and Russia's politics is also in turmoil.
The technicians concerned last week loaded fuel in all 163 assemblies at Unit-I of the KNPP and the criticality process has been launched, which in effect means generation of electricity has started, though not yet fed into any power grid.
Russia says there are several points that require additional assurances. ''Of course it will require additional money to be paid by India,'' Rogozin said ahead of an inter-government commission meeting to be held today.
The plant, being built by Russia's state-controlled company Atomstroyexport, has been mired in controversy almost from inception. Local people are particularly worried as the plant has been built in a coastal area of Tamil Nadu where fishing is the main occupation.
The knotty point involves India's insistence that the Russian side must insure that any further progress on the nuclear plant is covered under India's Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010.
