The US nuclear sector is assembling a detailed proposal for the Department of Atomic Energy regarding India’s draft regulations under the SHANTI Act, which allows private entities to participate in the civil nuclear sector.
The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), which earlier this year organized a visit by representatives of the US nuclear industry to India to assess prospects in the civil nuclear field, held talks on Thursday with Indian legal experts and the Nuclear Energy Institute.
USISPF is organizing a detailed industry proposal for submission to the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India (GOI), ahead of the September 4 deadline, the organization announced in a social media post.
Last week, the Department of Atomic Energy issued draft rules and regulations under the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act and called for stakeholder feedback by September 4.
USISPF also conducted an online briefing for its Nuclear Industry Committee regarding the proposed SHANTI rules and regulations.
The virtual meeting brought together senior industry leaders from across the nuclear value chain and addressed: the main elements of the Draft SHANTI Rules and Draft SHANTI Regulations and their implications for the sector; the impact on private sector participation, licensing, liability, and project structuring; as well as issues that need industry focus and possible input to the government, according to USISPF.
The session included distinguished guest speakers Suhaan Mukerji from the Delhi-based PLR Chambers and Ted Jones, Senior Director for National Security and International Programs at the Nuclear Energy Institute.
The draft rules represent India’s first comprehensive move to open its nuclear sector to private companies. They outline procedures for licensing, insurance, and approvals, while keeping government authority over sensitive operations.
The SHANTI Act authorizes private enterprises and joint ventures to build, own, and run nuclear power plants, as well as to dismantle these installations and carry out nuclear research and development.
The law also allows private organizations to manufacture nuclear fuel and use ionising radiation for non-energy purposes in sectors including healthcare, agriculture, and a range of other industries.
India aims to produce 100 GW of nuclear power by 2047. The country also intends to develop at least five domestically designed Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) by 2033. These SMRs are advanced nuclear fission facilities capable of generating up to 300 megawatts of electricity.