Source: NDTV
Subject: Bills and Acts
Context: The Union Cabinet has approved the Atomic Energy Bill, 2025, branded as the SHANTI Bill, marking the biggest reform in India’s nuclear sector since 1962.
About Sustainable Harnessing of Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (Shanti Bill):
- What it is?
- A comprehensive nuclear-sector reform bill replacing fragmented laws and modernising India’s nuclear governance, safety, liability, and industry participation framework.
- Ministry: Introduced by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) under the Prime Minister; regulatory reforms involve creating an independent nuclear safety authority.
- Law Governing Nuclear Energy Currently:
India’s nuclear sector is presently overseen primarily by:
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- Atomic Energy Act, 1962
- Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010 (CLND Act)
These laws restrict private participation and impose ambiguous liability burdens.
- Aim: To enable large-scale nuclear expansion, attract private and global investment, modernise regulatory oversight, reform liability rules, and accelerate India’s path to 100 GW of nuclear power by 2047.
- Key Features:
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- Opening the Nuclear Value Chain to Private Players: Allows private sector entry in exploration, fuel fabrication, equipment manufacturing, and potentially plant operations.
- Unified Legal Framework: Consolidates outdated laws into a streamlined licensing, safety, compliance, and operations structure.
- Reformed Nuclear Liability Architecture: Clear delineation of operator–supplier responsibilities, insurance-backed caps, and government backstopping—aligned with global norms.
- Independent Nuclear Safety Authority: New regulator ensuring transparent, professional, globally benchmarked safety oversight.
- Dedicated Nuclear Tribunal: Specialised mechanism to settle liability and contractual disputes efficiently.
- Boost to Small Modular Reactors (SMRs): Supports R&D and deployment of SMRs for industrial and grid-scale decarbonisation.
- Significance:
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- Breaks 60+ years of state monopoly, enabling private innovation and investment.
- Critical for achieving 100 GW nuclear capacity and India’s net-zero by 2070 target.
- Strengthens energy security, reducing dependence on coal and imported fuels.
