Atomic Energy Bill 2025: Final Stage Amid Private Sector Push and Russian Talks

While answering a question on the proposed amendments to Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010 and the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, the Union Minister said that the draft Atomic Energy Bill is "currently in advanced stage of processing and preparation with final comments and suggestions from various Ministries being progressively incorporated along with concomitant vetting by Ministry of Law and Justice for legal compliances."

"Policy directives of the Government with regard to specific aspects of the Bill are being suitably incorporated before being put up for approvals," the Union Minister said in the answer.

"The exact modalities of the various aspects / concerns raised by The Hon'ble Member are being addressed in the amendments proposed and the position on these will be made clear once the draft gets vetted by the concerned ministries and is approved by the Government," Singh informed the lower house, replying to a question asked by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.

Similarly, Union Minister Singh also reiterated that as announced in the Budget 2025 announcement, the Government has announced that active private sector participation will be facilitated by undertaking amendments to Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage (CLND) Act 2010 and the Atomic Energy Act 1962.

Earlier December 3, replying to a similar question, Singh had said that a meeting took place between Department of Atomic Energy and Russia's Rosatom which focused on furthering bilateral cooperation in the field of nuclear energy.

"Attention was given to opportunities for localising equipment production in India, he said, adding that one of the new areas of discussion for cooperation included the construction of small modular reactors (SMRs) of Russian design in the country," he said.

In the budget for 2025-26, the government allocated ₹20,000 crore for the design, development and deployment of small modular rectors, aiming to operationalise indigenously developed SMRs by 2033.

Under the Nuclear Energy Mission, funds have been allocated for research and development of the 200 MW Bharat Small Modular Reactor, which is in the advanced stage of obtaining administrative and financial sanction, the minister said.

According to the minister, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has initated development and design works of 3 SMRs, including a 200 MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR-200); 55 MWe Small Modular Reactor (SMR-55), a 55 MWe Small Modular Reactor (SMR-55), and Up to 5 MWth High temperature gas cooled reactor meant for hydrogen generation.

- ANI