Price-Anderson Act and nuclear insurance

The nuclear incident at Three Mile Island has served to intensify debate about elimination of the federal limit on liability of utilities (and others) for operation of private nuclear reactions and about elimination of possible federal indemnification of utilities (or others) for claims paid in nuclear incidents. Not all those who debate these issues appear to be fully informed about the present nuclear liability and insurance system. This paper provides a brief description of the Price-Anderson Act, as amended, and of the operation of the nuclear insurance pools. It also includes a comment on the recent federal district court award against the Kerr-McGee Corporation