SHANTI Bill 2025:
The Union Government has introduced the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha to overhaul India’s nuclear energy laws and enable private sector participation in building and operating nuclear power plants for the first time since Independence.
Key Provisions of SHANTI Bill 2025:
- Replacement of Existing Nuclear Laws: The SHANTI Bill repeals the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010, creating a single, consolidated legal framework to govern India’s civil nuclear energy sector and simplify regulatory and liability procedures.
- Enabling Private and Joint Venture Participation: For the first time since Independence, the Bill permits private Indian companies, joint ventures, and foreign entities to build, own, operate, and decommission nuclear power plants, ending the monopoly of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) in plant operations.
- Retention of Strategic State Control: While allowing private participation, the Bill retains government control over sensitive areas such as nuclear fuel production, heavy water manufacturing, and radioactive waste management, safeguarding national security and non-proliferation commitments.
- Statutory Status to the Nuclear Regulator: The Bill grants statutory backing to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) and makes it accountable to Parliament, strengthening regulatory independence, transparency, and safety oversight.
- Revised Nuclear Liability Framework: The SHANTI Bill repeals the CLND Act, 2010 and removes supplier liability, ensuring that nuclear plant operators alone are responsible for compensation, thereby aligning India’s regime with international nuclear liability conventions.
Operator liability is capped and linked to the installed capacity of nuclear plants rather than the extent of damage, with graded limits to reduce financial uncertainty and encourage investment. - Creation of a Dedicated Atomic Disputes Tribunal: Proposes a dedicated atomic disputes tribunal to improve regulatory certainty and investor confidence.
- Facilitation of Advanced Nuclear Technologies: By enabling private participation and regulatory clarity, the Bill supports the deployment of Small Modular Reactors and indigenous reactor designs, contributing to India’s clean energy transition and long-term energy security.
