I found a good summary of international liability schemes for nuclear accidents.
It was made by the Japanese Atomic Energy Commission Bureau.
So I simply converted the values in Japanese yens to the ones in U.S. dollars.
Table. Corporate and Government Liabilities for Nuclear Accidents
So I simply converted the values in Japanese yens to the ones in U.S. dollars.
Table. Corporate and Government Liabilities for Nuclear Accidents
Country | Operator's liability (liability) | Legal damages | Government maximum liability | Immunity | International treaty |
France | Limited | 600 million F (91,469,410.34 euro) ($118 million) | If payment exceeds the legal damages, amount up to 300 million SDR ($459 million) including overseas contribution is guaranteed based on the Brussels Treaty. | · Act of combat, act of hostility, civil war, riot · Unusual, gigantic natural disasters |
· Paris Convention · Brussels Supplementary Treaty |
Germany | Unlimited | 2.5 billion euro ($3.212 billion) = Liability insurance (approx. 256 million euro) + Fund assurance by the parent company (utility) of the operating company (approx. 2.24 billion euro) |
If the above measures fail to work, the government compensates up to 2.5 billion euro ($3.212 billion). | · None | · Paris Convention · Brussels Supplementary Treaty · Joint Protocol |
Japan | Unlimited | 120 billion yen ($1.504 billion) | If the payment exceeds the legal damages, aid is given (as needed) | · Social convulsion · Unusual, gigantic natural disasters |
Non-member |
South Korea | · Limited · 300 million SDR ($459 million) |
50 billion won ($44 million) | If the payment exceeds the legal damages, aid is given (as needed) | · International armed conflict, acts of hostility, civil war, rioting | Non-member |
Switzerland | Unlimited | 1.1 billion SF ($1.173 billion) | If payment exceeds the legal damages, or the operator's provision does not work, amount up to 1.1 billion SF ($1.173 billion) is guaranteed. | · Deliberation or gross negligence of victim | · Paris Convention · Amended Paris Convention (not effective) · Amended Brussels Supplementary Treaty (not effective) |
United Kingdom | Limited | 140 million SP ($221 million) | If payment exceeds the legal damages, the amount up to 300 million SDR ($459 million) including overseas contribution is guaranteed based on the Brussels Treaty. | · Act of hostility in the process of armed conflict. | · Paris
Convention · Brussels Supplementary Treaty |
United States | · Limited · $12.594 billion (Same amount with legal damages) |
Approx. $12.594 billion = Liability insurance ($375 million) + Operator's mutual aid scheme (approx. $12.219 billion) |
If the payment exceeds the legal damages, the President submits a compensation plan to the Congress for the Congress to take necessary action. | · Act of war | CSC (Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage) (not effective) |
Note: Annual average exchange rates in 2012 (World Bank (2013), IMF (2013))
1 U.S. dollar = | 0.778294 | Euro |
79.790455 | Japanese Yen | |
1,126.470826 | Korean Won | |
0.937684 | Swiss Franc | |
0.633047 | U.K. Pound Sterling | |
0.653031 | Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) |
Source for the table:
Atomic Energy Commission Bureau. (2011). Estimation of Accident Risk Cost in Nuclear Power Plants [PowerPoint slides]. Tokyo, Japan: Atomic Energy Commission of Japan. [Full-text at http://j.mp/Atom_Compensation]
Sources for 2012 annual average exchange rates:
(1) Currencies:
World Bank. (2013). Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average). Washington, DC: The World Bank. Retrieved June 21, 2013 from http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/PA.NUS.FCRF
(2) Special Drawing Rights (SDRs):
IMF. (2013). SDRs per currency unit for the period January 01, 2012 - December 31, 2012. Washington, DC: International Monetary Fund. Retrieved June 21, 2013 from http://j.mp/SDR_USD_2012