India's Nuclear Energy Programme
India's nuclear sector saw its biggest legal overhaul in decades with the SHANTI Act, 2025 (Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India), which repeals and replaces the Atomic Energy Act of 1962 rather than merely amending it. Key features:
- Opens nuclear power generation to private Indian companies (in minority-stake roles) while reserving enrichment, spent-fuel management, heavy-water production, and uranium/thorium mining for the state.
- Gives the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) statutory, independent status, separate from operator NPCIL.
- Backs the Nuclear Energy Mission, targeting 100 GWe of nuclear capacity by 2047, with a nearer-term goal of five indigenous Small Modular Reactors operational by 2033, backed by ₹20,000 crore.
- Three SMR designs are in development: the 220 MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR-200), the 55 MWe SMR-55, and a 5 MWth High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor for hydrogen production.
- Tata Power announced in July 2026 that it's targeting 2032–33 commissioning for India's first privately built nuclear plant, with construction starting as early as 2028; NTPC is in talks with EDF, Rosatom, Westinghouse and KHNP among others.
- Foreign players like Holtec have received authorisation to share SMR-300 technical information with Indian partners (L&T, Tata Consulting Engineers).
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