Now Reading: SHANTI draft rules mandate insurance cover for nuclear operators
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SHANTI draft rules mandate insurance cover for nuclear operators
The Department of Atomic Energy has released draft rules under the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy (SHANTI) Act, 2025. Nuclear plant operators must maintain insurance, financial security or both against…
The Story in Brief
The Department of Atomic Energy has released draft rules under the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy (SHANTI) Act, 2025. Nuclear plant operators must maintain insurance, financial security or both against nuclear damage. The cover must continue until all spent fuel is removed from the relevant storage pool.
The draft requires a Centre-appointed expert group to review operators’ maximum civil liability limits every five years. Foreign reactor designs must have regulatory approval in their country of origin and be operational there or elsewhere. Applicants may receive in-principle approval before selecting a site or technology. A single composite licence would cover construction, ownership, operation and decommissioning.
The Indian Opinion
Claims that the draft either removes all safeguards or makes nuclear clearances effortless go beyond the text. Operators still face mandatory financial protection, continuing cover for spent fuel and periodic liability reviews. At the same time, in-principle approval before a site or technology is chosen could shift early risk towards later stages. Public scrutiny should focus on the final liability limits and the terms of each composite licence.
Sources (2): economictimes.indiatimes.com, indiatoday.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
