India opens nuclear sector to private companies to achieve 100 GW by 2047 |
In a landmark move aimed at transforming its energy landscape, India has opened its nuclear sector to private companies, signaling a significant shift in the country’s approach to atomic energy. The lower house of the Indian Parliament recently passed the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, designed to accelerate the expansion of nuclear power and support India’s ambitious clean energy targets.
The legislation represents a strategic effort by New Delhi to boost its nuclear energy generation capacity to 100 gigawatts (GW) by 2047, as part of broader goals to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and enhance energy security. “The world is moving towards clean energy,” Federal Minister Jitendra Singh told lawmakers during the parliamentary session. “We too have set a target of 100 GW of nuclear energy capacity by 2047.”
Historically, India’s nuclear sector has been dominated by state-owned entities such as the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC). Under the new SHANTI Bill, private companies will now be able to operate nuclear power plants through official licensing mechanisms. The legislation also repeals two existing laws-the Atomic Energy Act of 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act of 2010-which were previously seen as obstacles to private and foreign participation in the nuclear sector.
One of the most notable changes is the........