India’s Parliament passes Bill to open nuclear power to private firms

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An Indian man riding his bicycle amid heavy smog, on the banks of the Yamuna river in New Delhi, on Dec 18.

PHOTO: EPA

Summary

• Indias Parliament passed the SHANTI legislation, allowing private companies to generate nuclear power to boost clean energy production.
• The legislation aims to increase nuclear power capacity from 8,180 MW to 22,480 MW by 2031-32, with a long-term goal of 100 GW by 2047.
• The move intends to reduce Indias reliance on coal and meet emission reduction targets amid concerns about radioactive waste and radiation leaks.

AI generated

NEW DELHI - India’s Parliament on Dec 18 passed legislation to open nuclear power generation to private companies as part of the government’s ambitious plan to nearly triple clean energy production within six years.

India is the third-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, and remains deeply dependent on polluting coal, which accounts for 75 per cent of the country’s total power generation, to meet its soaring energy demand.

Power blackouts are common in the world’s most populous nation, and demand is rising quickly as the economy grows and the middle class expands.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the legislation “marks a transformational moment for our technology landscape” and also opens “numerous opportunities” for the private sector.

“From safely powering AI to enabling green manufacturing, it delivers a decisive boost to a clean-energy future for the country and the world,” Modi said in a statement, adding this was “the ideal time to invest, innovate and build in India”.

At present, India’s state-run Nuclear Power Corp of