A SILE ACCREDITED CDP ACTIVITY
The CIL Energy Law and Policy Team organised a two half-day virtual training course titled “Nuclear Liability Considerations for Southeast Asia” on 20-21 August 2025. The objective of the course was to demystify the basics of international nuclear liability, so as to make the topic accessible to both lawyers and non-lawyers, while promoting knowledge sharing and capacity building in Southeast Asia.
Participants gained insight into (i) the international legal framework for nuclear liability and compensation; (ii) opportunities and considerations for adopting a harmonised approach towards nuclear liability in Southeast Asia; and (iii) the need for legislative and practical (through insurance and claims handling) implementation. Participants also had the option of attending either a session on nuclear liability considerations in nuclear project development or a session on the challenges posed by advanced and future nuclear technologies, such as small modular reactors and fusion energy systems, to the international nuclear liability framework.
The course was led by Denise Cheong (Head, Energy Law and Policy, CIL), Helen Cook (Principal, GNE Advisory), Alain Quéré (Head of Nuclear Energy Risks and Pool Manager, Swiss Pool for the Insurance of Nuclear Risks, Swiss Re), Nivedita S (Research Fellow, CIL), and Ximena Vásquez-Maignan (Counsel, White & Case LLP, Paris and formerly the Head of Legal Counsel, OECD Nuclear Energy Agency). The training course opened with remarks delivered by Nilufer Oral (Director, CIL) and Phillip Rose (International Energy Agency Regional Cooperation Centre, Singapore).
The course had 60 participants from 10 countries. The programme was structured into seven sessions across the two half-days and concluded with an open forum that reflected on key takeaways and the way forward.
CIL would like to thank the trainers for their invaluable time and contributions to the course, as well as the participants for their participation and engagement.
PRE-EVENT INFORMATION
There is increasing recognition of nuclear energy's role in helping to reach Paris Agreement goals. In 2022, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change identified nuclear power as a mitigation option for limiting warming to 2°C or lower. At COP28 (2023), nuclear energy was acknowledged alongside renewables for the first time in the call for accelerated deployment of "zero and low-emission technologies". In the maritime sector, there is renewed interest in small modular reactors (SMRs) for offshore power generation (floating nuclear power plants) as well as for ship propulsion (nuclear-powered ships) as part of longer-term measures to decarbonise this sector. SMRs have also attracted the interest and investment of the world’s largest and most advanced technology companies as nuclear can provide an important and reliable source of low-carbon baseload energy.
In Southeast Asia, nuclear power is not presently part of the region's energy mix. However, several countries have been studying the option of nuclear energy for some time now. To date, eight out of 10 ASEAN countries have net-zero targets, and there are indications that nuclear power could be deployed within the next five to ten years, with Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam being considered “frontrunners” in this regard. As ASEAN anticipates this possibility, there is a growing awareness of the importance of addressing liability and compensation to support commercial deployment and enhance public perception and acceptance of nuclear energy.
The international legal framework applicable to civil liability for nuclear damage consists of several international conventions and protocols, some of which are linked. These legal instruments have been perceived as a complex labyrinth and an especially daunting aspect of nuclear law for both lawyers and non-lawyers alike. Furthermore, insurance and claims-handling mechanisms are needed to effectively implement these instruments so that, ultimately, compensation is available when needed. The advent of SMRs (including floating nuclear power plants) and nuclear-powered ships have also raised questions about the applicability of these instruments to cover associated nuclear damage.
In light of the above, this training course is designed to:
- Demystify the basics of the international nuclear liability instruments in ways that can be readily understood by both lawyers and non-lawyers.
- Promote knowledge-sharing and capacity-building on the nuclear liability landscape in Southeast Asia and foster a discussion on opportunities for a harmonised regional approach towards nuclear liability, in line with ASEAN norms on nuclear governance.
- Highlight emerging trends and consider the challenges to the international nuclear liability instruments, such as those posed by SMRs and nuclear-powered ships.
Participants who complete the course will also receive a certificate of participation.
Course fees
- Private Sector/ Law Practitioners: SGD $150 (nett)
- Academics/Government Officials/ International or Regional organisations: SGD $120 (nett)
*Limited scholarships are available.
Final programme now available!
Email cil.events@nus.edu.sg for enquiries.
SILE Acredited Activity
6.0 Public CPD Point (3 Public CPD Points each day)
Practice Area: International Law
Training Category: Intermediate
Participants who wish to obtain CPD Points are reminded that they must comply strictly with the Attendance Policy set out in the CPD Guidelines. For this activity, this includes logging in at the start of the webinar and logging out at the conclusion of the webinar on each day of the activity, and not being away from any part of the webinar for more than 15 minutes on each day of the activity. Participants may obtain Public CPD Points for each day of the event on which they comply strictly with the Attendance Policy. Participants who do not comply with the Attendance Policy on any particular day of the activity will not be able to obtain CPD Points for that day of the activity. Please refer to http://www.sileCPDcentre.sg for more information.
REGISTRATION
Note: There are a limited number of places available, and it may not be possible to accommodate all interested participants. (Registration closed on 15 Aug 2025, 6pm, Singapore Time)