Rules for pvt entry into nuclear power under SHANTI Act being drafted: DAE

Jitendra Singh said applications from private operators will be considered after the rules are notified, with liability and insurance provisions set out under the SHANTI Act

The rules governing private sector participation in the nuclear power sector under the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act are currently at the drafting stage and will be notified in accordance with due legislative processes, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Thursday.

 

Applications for licences from private parties will then be taken into consideration, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office and the ministries of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Atomic Energy, and Space said in a written reply in Parliament.

 

"The private operators shall obtain an insurance policy or other financial security, or a combination of both, before the operation of a nuclear installation, covering their liability. The operator should renew the insurance policy or other financial security before the expiry of its validity from time to time," he said.

 

According to the framework for civil liability for nuclear damage arising from accidents provided in the SHANTI Act, the maximum amount of liability in respect of each nuclear incident shall be the rupee equivalent of 300 million Special Drawing Rights, or as specified by the Central government.

 

The Act provides for the operator's liability at ₹3,000 crore for reactors with thermal power above 3,600 megawatts (MW). Singh said that, for the purpose of meeting its liability, the Central government may establish a Nuclear Liability Fund through a levy charged on the tariff of electricity sold to consumers.