SHANTI Bill a 'structural positive' for India's nuclear capacity expansion: Report
New Delhi, March 11
The Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Bill, 2025 is a structural step toward strengthening India's nuclear power ecosystem which will improve project execution, a report said on Wednesday.
Infomerics Ratings described the bill as "structural long-term positive" for the Indian power sector for addressing long-standing deterrents to nuclear capacity addition, particularly liability and participation constraints.
The nuclear expansion is still expected to remain gradual and to increase to around 22 Giga Watt (GW) by FY2032, considering projects under implementation and planning, the firm noted.
'SHANTI Bill 2025' replaces the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010, with a unified legal framework governing development, safety, security, safeguards, and nuclear liability.
The bill permits government entities, companies, joint ventures or other persons expressly allowed by the central government to build, own, operate or decommission nuclear plants and fabricate nuclear fuel, including conversion.
Net-zero commitments and rising electricity demand position nuclear as an important component of India's future energy mix, as renewable intermittency limits its ability to fully meet reliable base load demand even with storage support, the firm noted.
"The bill provides category wise operator liability caps and restricts recourse to suppliers to defined contractual and intentional fault situations, thereby reducing supplier risk, improving investor confidence, and facilitating greater private sector participation in future nuclear projects," said Rohit Inamdar, Chief Ratings Officer, Infomerics Ratings.
However, the report maintained that growth in nuclear power capacities will also depend on tariff competitiveness, and the development of a domestic vendor ecosystem.
Long-term sovereign-backed fuel supply arrangements, building strategic reserves, and domestic fuel-cycle infrastructure development will remain critical as nuclear capacity expands, the firm noted.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good to see forward thinking. But 22 GW by 2032 seems too slow? Our energy demand is skyrocketing. We need faster execution. Also, hope the "domestic vendor ecosystem" gets real focus—we can't be dependent on foreign suppliers for critical components.
Finally! A unified law to replace the patchwork of old acts. The clarity on liability caps is crucial for companies to invest without fear of unlimited lawsuits. This could be a game-changer for Make in India in the high-tech energy sector. 🇮🇳
While the bill seems positive for expansion, I sincerely hope safety and security regulations are world-class and strictly enforced. The locations for new plants, waste disposal, and community consent must be handled with utmost transparency and care.
The name 'SHANTI' is very apt—peace through energy security. A stable, clean power source is key for our industrial growth. Hope the tariff competitiveness issue is addressed so that this power remains affordable for the common man.
Good move structurally. But execution is everything. We have a history of slow project implementation. The report itself calls it 'gradual'. Need a dedicated, fast-track authority to get these plants online. Time is of the essence.
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