Tokyo Electric may be held liable for nuclear plant explosions

[steve2470]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/15/japan-quake-insurance-idUSL3E7EF3A920110315

By Junko Fujita and Rachel Armstrong

SINGAPORE/TOKYO, March 16 | Tue Mar 15, 2011 12:30pm EDT

(Reuters) - Tokyo Electric Power could still be held liable for the problems at its nuclear power plant as the Japanese government has not yet decided whether to classify Friday's devastating earthquake an "exceptional" natural disaster.

Japan's 1961 Act on Compensation for Nuclear Damage states the operator of a nuclear facility will not be responsible for any damage caused by their reactor if it was due to "a grave natural disaster of an exceptional character or by an insurrection".

Insurers of the nuclear plant have already cited this law to signal that claims are unlikely to be made following the explosions.

However, a person involved in this matter said the quake that hit Japan's northern coast is not yet considered as an exceptional natural disaster, adding that the official consensus will have to be made by the ministry for education, culture, sport, science and technology -- which is in charge of the law.

[KeepItReal]

1. Greg Palast's take on liability

I need to speak to you, not as a reporter, but in my former capacity as lead investigator in several government nuclear plant fraud and racketeering investigations.
...

Here are the facts about Tokyo Electric and the industry you haven't heard on the news. The failure of emergency systems at Japan's nuclear plants comes as no surprise to those of us who have worked in the field.

Nuclear plants the world over must be certified for what is called SQ or seismic qualification. That is, the owners swear that all components are designed for the maximum conceivable shaking event, be it from an earthquake or an exploding Christmas card from al-Qaida.

The most inexpensive way to meet your SQ is to lie. The industry does it all the time.

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/102293

[MadHound]

2. The simple fact that they located these plants right on the coast,

In an area highly prone to large quakes and tsunamis makes then liable. The person or people who made that decision did so out of the profit motive, and disregarded basic safety.