Finance Minister announced a target of 100 GW nuclear capacity by 2047 and Parliament passed the SHANTI Act in December 2025. Such economy and energy sector reforms are important for aspirants preparing through IAS coaching in Hyderabad, UPSC online coaching, and other civil services preparation platforms.
What the SHANTI Act changes
• Consolidation of laws: The Act repeals the Atomic Energy Act (1962) and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (2010) and creates a single modern statute for nuclear energy.
• Private and foreign entry: Limited private ownership and operation of civilian nuclear plants is permitted under strict licensing and oversight.
• Regulatory upgrade: The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) is given statutory backing to function as an autonomous safety regulator.
• Liability and insurance: The Act revises the liability framework to make projects more attractive to investors while addressing compensation and insurance norms.
Understanding such reforms is essential for students preparing through UPSC coaching in Hyderabad and Hyderabad IAS coaching institutes, especially for GS Paper 3.
Why nuclear is central to India’s goals
• Energy and development: To reach Viksit Bharat and higher per capita electricity use, India needs large, reliable baseload power beyond intermittent renewables.
• Net zero target: Nuclear is a low carbon baseload option that complements renewables and helps meet long term decarbonisation goals.
• Land and storage constraints: Renewables require large land and storage investments; nuclear offers high energy density and continuous output.
These aspects are often analysed in IAS coaching and civils coaching in Hyderabad for better understanding of energy security.
Implementation challenges
• Huge capital need: Adding tens of GW will require hundreds of billions of dollars; private and foreign finance is essential.
• Technology choices: Imported large reactors (e.g., French, US designs) must be indigenised to cut costs; Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are being pursued for flexibility.
• Regulatory clarity: Rules on fuel ownership, waste management, tariffs, liability, and dispute resolution must be transparent and investor friendly.
• Public acceptance and safety: Site clearances, exclusion zones and community consent will be politically sensitive.
Such challenges are frequently discussed in UPSC online coaching and structured UPSC coaching in Hyderabad programs.
Policy priorities
• Fast track rulemaking that balances safety and investor certainty.
• Innovative financing (public private partnerships, long term sovereign guarantees).
• R&D push for SMRs, thorium pathways and HALEU fuel cycles.
• Transparent regulator with clear licensing and liability regimes.
These policy approaches are important for aspirants studying through IAS coaching in Hyderabad and Hyderabad IAS coaching programs.
Conclusion:
The SHANTI Act creates the legal scaffolding for a major expansion of nuclear power in India, but its success depends on prompt, clear rules, large-scale financing, technology strategy and robust safety governance. For aspirants preparing through IAS coaching in Hyderabad, UPSC coaching in Hyderabad, and UPSC online coaching, such topics are crucial for understanding energy policy, economic reforms, and sustainable development in UPSC.
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