SHANTI BILL, 2025

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:

• • 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:
  • 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  • Unified Legal Framework: Consolidates outdated laws into a streamlined licensing, safety, compliance, and operations structure.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:
  • 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.