Binding safety standards for nuclear regime needed, experts tell IAEA

In a letter to IAEA, the experts have recommended that safety standards be made part of discussions at a ministerial conference scheduled for June at Vienna. Stating that the March 11 earthquake in Japan shows nuclear power plants are capable of withstanding some natural catastrophes better than other man-made ones, the experts aaid the site and design of the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear plants did not take into account low probability events like loss of power due to an earthquake and tsunami. The experts have also recommended that requirements of new countries wishing to start using nuclear power should be developed and incorporated into the international nuclear safety regime. Countries like India and China, for instance, were looking to expand their nuclear powergeneration capacity. “Such countries must demonstrate their ability to uphold high international standards with regard to safety, security and non-proliferation over the lifetime of their nuclear powerprogrammes.