By Anubhuti Vishnoi
Copyright indiatimes
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New Delhi: As India looks to open up a highly restricted nuclear power ecosystem to the private sector, the Centre is mulling a single umbrella law for all nuclear energy- related issues, replacing all existing laws, ET has learnt. The Centre is also considering bringing in a specialised tribunal to address all nuclear energy-related disputes besides a specialised authority on nuclear safety which will work in close coordination with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it is learnt.The proposed new nuclear energy architecture in India is looking to allow private entities in at least four to five key areas — from exploration and mining of atomic minerals to the critical area of fuel fabrication — all held by the government.Nuclear Safety VerticalWith the entry of the private sector, the biggest concern is ensuring full accountability from the corporate world besides bringing in checks and balances.The proposed new architecture hopes to address these through the creation of several verticals that will supervise aspects linked to the nuclear fuel cycle. The most critical of these will be a special vertical centred on nuclear safety and safeguards which will work in close coordination with the IAEA, ET has learnt. This will function like a special authority which will be able to deploy inspectors across all nuclear reactors in the country. The authority will be rigorous in its scope and reach and seek account for each gram of nuclear fuel deployed across reactors, from procurement to usage and disposal. The same will be reported to the Indian government which will be communicated to the IAEA, those in the know told ET.The Centre is also considering restricting use of domestic uranium only for India’s own strategic purposes. It is expected that for all commercial purposes/ power generation by any entity, uranium will have to be imported after meeting due quality and safety requirements. That apart, sensitive technology such as heavy water production, segregation and treatment of nuclear waste are expected to stay under the Department of Atomic Energy’s control.Live EventsA Radioactive Waste Management & Decommissioning Authority and a Fuel and Heavy Water Regulator are envisaged.The N-TribunalET gathers that at a stakeholders’ meet, the private sector is learnt to have raised concerns over possible litigation and prosecution in civilian courts over disputes that may arise over sundry partnership issues such as licensing, mergers and acquisitions and so on.To resolve this, it is learnt that the Centre is looking at creating a special tribunal for all atomic energy-related disputes. Only a case found malafide or seen as a deliberate malicious act intended to cause damage will be open to civil prosecution, it is proposed.The issue of ‘liability’ under the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damages Act, 2010, has been another sticky point. A suggestion is to assure that the sovereign government will step in after a particular ceiling or cap on compensation amount is breached- provided insurance cover by the private partner takes care of the rest of the compensation.The Law BookET gathers that at a top-level meet, a suggestion was made not just to amend existing legislation on atomic energy but to draft a whole new Act which redraws India’s nuclear laws with a new approach and subsumes all existing laws and rule books on the subject.Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now!
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(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)Read More News onnuclear energynuclear safetyatomic mineralsInternational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)Department of Atomic Energyinternational atomic energy agencyiaeagovt new plans for nuclear energy(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2025 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online….moreless
