US nuclear industry readies SHANTI Act feedback for India by September 4

US nuclear industry groups are preparing a joint response to India's draft SHANTI rules before the September 4 deadline. The move underscores growing interest in India's plan to open civil nuclear activities to private players.

In Short

• USISPF is coordinating industry feedback on India's draft SHANTI rules
• Industry comments go to the Atomic Energy Department by September 4
• Draft regulations outline licensing, insurance and approvals for private nuclear participation

The US nuclear industry is set to make a comprehensive submission to India on the draft rules and regulations for implementing the SHANTI Act, which opens up the atomic energy sector for private participation. The submission is being coordinated by the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) and will be sent to the Department of Atomic Energy by the September 4 deadline for comments.

Last week, the Department of Atomic Energy released the draft rules and regulations of the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act and invited comments by September 4. The draft rules are the first detailed steps taken by India to open the nuclear sector to private players, setting out licensing, insurance and approval procedures while keeping government control over sensitive activities.

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 Washington-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 USISPF said in a social media post.

USISPF also held a virtual briefing for its Nuclear Industry Committee on the draft SHANTI rules and regulations. “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,” the USISPF said. It added that expert guest speakers Suhaan Mukerji of Delhi-based PLR Chambers and Ted Jones, Senior Director for National Security and International Programmes at the Nuclear Energy Institute, addressed the session.

The SHANTI Act allows private companies and joint ventures to build, own and operate nuclear plants, decommission them, and undertake nuclear research and development. It also allows private players to manufacture nuclear fuel and use ionising radiation for non-electricity work in medicines, agriculture and other industries. India has set a target of generating 100 GW of nuclear power by 2047 and developing at least five indigenous Small Modular Reactors, advanced nuclear fission plants that can produce up to 300 megawatts of electricity, by 2033.

In sum, the draft SHANTI rules mark India’s first detailed framework for private entry into the nuclear sector, and the US industry is now preparing formal feedback as the government reviews comments ahead of the September 4 deadline.

With PTI Inputs

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