The US nuclear industry is preparing a comprehensive submission to India on the draft rules and regulations for implementing the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act, as the country moves to open its atomic energy sector to private participation.
The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) released the draft rules and regulations last week and invited comments by Sept 4. The consultation is an important step in translating the SHANTI Act into a framework that companies can follow as they consider entering India's tightly controlled nuclear sector.
US Industry Steps Up Engagement
The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), which led a delegation of US nuclear industry representatives to India earlier this year to explore opportunities in the civil nuclear sector, held discussions on Thursday with legal experts in India and the US-based Nuclear Energy Institute.
“USISPF is coordinating a comprehensive industry submission to the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India (GOI) by the September 4 deadline,” the forum said in a social media post, PTI reports.
USISPF also held a virtual briefing for its Nuclear Industry Committee on the recently released draft SHANTI rules and regulations. The meeting brought together senior industry leaders from across the nuclear value chain.
Licensing, Liability in Focus
According to USISPF, the session covered key provisions of the draft rules and regulations and what they could mean for the industry. Discussions also focused on private sector entry, licensing, liability and project structuring, as well as areas where the industry may want to provide feedback to the government.
“The virtual session convened senior industry leaders from across the nuclear value chain and covered: key provisions of the Draft SHANTI Rules and Draft SHANTI Regulations - what they mean for industry; implications for private sector entry, licensing, liability, and project structuring; and areas requiring industry attention and potential feedback to the government,” USISPF said.
The session was addressed by Suhaan Mukerji of Delhi-based PLR Chambers and Ted Jones, Senior Director for National Security and International Programmes at the Nuclear Energy Institute.
Private Players Get Bigger Role
The draft rules mark India's first detailed steps towards opening the nuclear sector to private players. They lay down procedures related to licensing, insurance and approvals while retaining government control over sensitive activities.
The SHANTI Act allows private companies and joint ventures to build, own and operate nuclear plants. They can also decommission plants and undertake nuclear research and development.
The law further allows private players to manufacture nuclear fuel and use ionising radiation for non-electricity-related work involving medicines, agriculture and other industries.
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India Eyes 100 GW by 2047
The opening of the sector gives private companies a potentially significant role in India's nuclear ambitions. How effectively the new framework balances private participation with government oversight will be crucial as the country works towards its long-term capacity target.
India has set a target of generating 100 GW of nuclear power by 2047. It also plans to set up at least five indigenous Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) by 2033. SMRs are advanced nuclear fission plants capable of producing up to 300 megawatts of electricity.
The US industry's planned submission shows that the details of India's new regulatory framework are already drawing close attention from overseas nuclear companies and industry groups. The feedback process could therefore prove important in determining how smoothly private participation takes shape under the SHANTI Act.
