All about SHANTI Bill that paves way for private firms to enter nuclear sector
Till now, only the public sector companies have been allowed to operate nuclear power plants, but the SHANTI Bill proposes to grant licenses to private firms.
The Parliament on Thursday passed the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, paving the way for private companies to enter the atomic energy sector of India. The Bill also proposes to repeal the Atomic Energy Act of 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (CLND Act) 2010.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the passage of the Bill, calling it a “transformational moment for our technology landscape.”
Till now, only the public sector companies have been allowed to operate nuclear power plants.
However, this Bill proposes to:
- Grant a license to private companies for operating nuclear plants.
- Remove the existing contentious liability clause for suppliers of fuel and technology.
- Rationalise the levels of payout by operators in case of accidents.
Enables private and joint venture participation
Private companies can now construct, own, operate or decommission a nuclear power plant or reactor in India. As per the rules, the company will have to obtain a license after safety authorisation on radiation exposure.
The Bill allows any central government department, government company, private company, joint venture or any person to undertake the setting up of such facilities after permission.
Also read: Parliament approves landmark SHANTI Bill which opens nuclear power sector to private players
Aim to boost investment
The SHANTI Bill aims to boost investment in the nuclear sector to help India further its nuclear power capacity by 2027. It was introduced by the Union Minister of State for Atomic Energy, Jitendra Singh.
Changes in liability rules
The Bill proposes to remove a clause from the CLND Act that gave the operators the right to recourse in case of damages caused by the “act of the supplier or his employee”. This includes acts related to the supply of equipment or material with defects or substandard services.
Changes have also been proposed in the limits of liability of operators based on the reactor's output. The earlier 2010 Bill had limited the liability of the operator to ₹1,500 crore.
As per the new Bill, liabilities have been set according to the thermal power capacity of the reactors. So the reactor with 3,600 MW will have a liability up to ₹3,000 crore, reactors above 1,500 MW and up to 3,600 MW will have a liability limit of ₹1,500 crore and so on.
Also read: Government proposes RTI restrictions on SHANTI Bill
Atomic Energy Redressal
The government has also proposed to set up an Atomic Energy Redressal Advisory Council to handle any grievances of any licensee or operator.
Also read: Not a nuclear but an ‘unclear’ bill: Tharoor flags loopholes, safety risks in SHANTI Bill
Some areas still under government
While private entities will be allowed to operate nuclear plants, some areas have still been preserved for government entities, including enrichment of nuclear fuel, management of spent fuel and the production of heavy water.
Opposition to the Bill
Opposition members strongly demanded that the Bill be referred to the standing or select committee due to its large impact. They alleged that the government has diluted the liability clause and questioned whether the bill was introduced under any pressure, ANI reported.
Speaking on the opposition, Jitendra Singh said that multiple consultations were held before the framing of the Bill.
(Inputs from HT correspondents)
