India unveils SHANTI Act, 2025 draft tightening nuclear operator liability
India's Department of Atomic Energy just dropped draft rules for the SHANTI Act, 2025, a big move to make nuclear energy safer and more accountable.
The main idea: nuclear plant operators must have solid financial backup (like an insurance policy, financial security, or a combination of both for nuclear damage) in case something goes wrong.
Draft mandates single license, foreign approvals
The draft introduces a single license covering everything from building to shutting down a nuclear plant. No more juggling multiple permits.
If India wants to use foreign reactor designs, those must already be approved and working in their home country or elsewhere.
There's also in-principle approval for early-stage projects, plus every five years an expert group will review the maximum limits of an operator's civil liability for nuclear damage.