The Chinese government has come out with a draft nuclear safety law, proposing several measures to prevent and deal with threats of nuclear terrorism, one of which is insurance.
The proposed law would require operators of nuclear facilities to purchase liability insurance, and participate and making proper financial arrangements to ensure timely and effective compensation in the case of a nuclear accident, reports Xinhua News.
According to the draft law, China would maintain its current coordinated nuclear safety outlook, as well as its commitment in fulfilling international obligations under binding treaties.
The nuclear facility operators must provide adequate occupational protection and medical benefits for their employees, per the draft law. Operators must also shoulder the expense of treating the spent fuel and radioactive waste, as well as the decommissioning of nuclear facilities.
A national committee to organise and coordinate management of emergencies was also proposed, along with an emergency response fund.
Su Zelin, vice chairman of the Law Committee of the National People’s Congress, submitted the draft on Monday for its third reading. The previous two readings were passed in April 2017 and October 2016.
According to Su, the law will strengthen the responsibility of nuclear energy companies, public trust in nuclear energy, and development in the industry. China currently has 36 operational nuclear reactors, with another 20 currently being built.
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