Thawing India's 'nuclear winter': Holtec nod should spur govt to tweak laws

The majority of the 22 operational indigenously built nuclear reactors have a capacity rating of 220 Mw

Eighteen years after India and the United States inked the signature Indo-US Civil Nuclear Agreement, the country finally saw a breakthrough. On March 26, the US Department of Energy granted Holtec International regulatory approval for the transfer of small modular reactor (SMR) technology to India. This approval permits Holtec, founded by Indian-American Kris P Singh, to share unclassified SMR technology — for nuclear reactors of between 30 Mw and 300 Mw — with three Indian entities, Holtec Asia (its regional subsidiary), Tata Consulting Engineers, and Larsen & Toubro. This approval signifies important progress on an agreement that was gratuitously stalled