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4d ago

India Tables SHANTI Bill to Open Nuclear Power to Private Firms, Overhaul Liability Regime

The proposal repeals legacy atomic laws to cap operator liability, with the government pitching it as a path to 100 GW by 2047.

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The bill, which was introduced by Union minister for state for atomic energy Jitendra Singh, will be sent to a standing committee. (Sansad TV)
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Antique said the proposed framework allowed up to 49 per cent private equity participation and addressed liability concerns that had historically deterred investment.

Overview

  • Minister of State Jitendra Singh introduced the SHANTI Bill in the Lok Sabha to replace the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010.
  • The bill allows Indian private companies and joint ventures to build, own, operate or decommission nuclear plants, while barring companies incorporated outside India from operating facilities.
  • Strategic fuel‑cycle functions remain under central control, including enrichment, spent‑fuel management, high‑level waste and heavy water production, with fissile materials kept under government surveillance.
  • The measure caps operator liability at the rupee equivalent of 300 million SDR per incident, excludes liability for specified extraordinary events, mandates insurance, establishes a Nuclear Liability Fund, and proposes graded limits by reactor size with the Centre covering compensation beyond caps.
  • The legislation grants statutory status to the AERB, creates new claims and redress bodies, empowers the Centre to fix nuclear tariffs and exercise strong licensing and takeover powers, and now heads for detailed parliamentary scrutiny amid opposition calls for committee review.