26 jui 2011
International nuclear law in the 25 years between Chernobyl and Fukushima and beyond… Selma Kus
This issue of the Nuclear Law Bulletin opens with a paper dedicated both to legal developments since the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant 25 years ago and possible legal implications of the accidents at Fukushima Daiichi which occurred after Japan was struck by a devastating earthquake on 11 March 2011.
26 jui 2011
Regulatory and institutional framework in Japan against the background of Fukushima OCDE, Agence pour l'Energie Nucléaire
On 11 March 2011, Japan endured one of the worst natural disasters in its history when a massive earthquake hit the Pacific coast of the country, followed by a tsunami, which led to a terrible loss of lives. It also led to serious accidents at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power units which the Japanese authorities classified at level 7 on the International Nuclear
26 jui 2011
Legal and regulatory aspects of long-term operation of nuclear power plants in OECD member countries Sam Emmerechts, Christian Raetzke, Benjamin Okra
Nuclear power plants are typically designed to operate for 30 to 40 years. Between 2010 and 2020 a large number of nuclear power plants in the world and in OECD member countries, in particular, will reach their 30th or 40th anniversary. 1 As of June 2011, out of 440 nuclear power plants operating in the world, approximately 81% had been in operation for more than 20 years and about 35% for more than 30 years.2 In OECD member countries there are at present 339 nuclear reactors in operation, of which 135 reactors (39.8% of the total number) are over 30 years old and 15 reactors (4.4% of the total number) are over 40 years old. All nuclear reactors in Finland have reached their 30th anniversary while in the United States 56% of all reactors are beyond 30. In the United Kingdom and Germany about 42% of nuclear reactors are older than 30 years while in Canada, France and Japan, the respective percentages in this age bracket amount to 22%, 34% and 30%.
26 jui 2011
Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage (CSC) and harmonisation of nuclear liability law within the European Union Ben McRae
Recent events at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plants have demonstrated the importance of having strong and effective nuclear liability regimes in effect at the national and global levels to assure the availability of prompt and equitable compensation for nuclear damage in the event of a nuclear incident. In the aftermath of Chernobyl, the international community came together under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA) to review the nuclear liability principles in the 1963 Vienna Convention 1 and the 1960 Paris Convention,2 consider enhancements to improve the effectiveness of those principles and develop the basis for establishing a worldwide liability regime to supplement and enhance those principles with a view to increasing the amount of compensation available for nuclear damage.3 After an extensive and thorough review of the then existing liability regimes and numerous proposals for improvements, the international community adopted the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage (CSC)to be the basis for a worldwide liability regime. With the recent ratification of the CSC by the United States, the CSC is poised to come into effect. Now is the time for the international community, and especially those countries that use and promote the use of nuclear power, to act to bring the CSC into effect. Such action will establish a global regime
26 jui 2011
Case law OCDE, Agence pour l'Energie Nucléaire
France – Decision of the Administrative Court in Strasbourg on the permanent shutdown of the Fessenheim nuclear power plant (2011)
United States – Judgment of a US Court of Appeals on public access to sensitive security information and consideration of the environmental impacts of terrorist attacks on nuclear facilities (2011)
26 jui 2011
National legislative and regulatory activities OCDE, Agence pour l'Energie Nucléaire
Belgium – Amendment of the Act on classification and security clearances, certifications and security notifications
Czech Republic – Resolution of the government of the Czech Republic on the time schedule of preparatory works for enlarging the nuclear power plant Temelín
Finland – Temporary Amendment to the Nuclear Liability Act
Ireland – Merchant Shipping Act
Romania – Emergency Ordinance on the identification, designation and protection of critical infrastructures
United Kingdom – Establishment of the Office for Nuclear Regulation
United States – Waste Confidence Decision and Rule Update
