New Delhi, March 20: A Task Force has been constituted in the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) to study the amendments required in the Atomic Energy Act for implementing the government’s push for nuclear power generation involving the private sector, the Parliament was told on Thursday.
A Task Force is looking into various aspects like build, own, operate model of nuclear plants by the private sector, nuclear safety, security and safeguards, Union Minister of State for Atomic Energy and Space Jitendra Singh told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply.
He said the nuclear energy mission announced in Budget 2025 envisages the deployment of 100 GWe of nuclear energy by 2047, which is essential for NetZero by 2070. “The mission aims to provide reliable energy alternative to fossil fuel energy sources with an objective to replace retiring thermal power plants, set up captive plants for energy-intensive industry and provide energy for remote as well as off-grid locations with the objective to decarbonise the energy sector,” he said.
Dr Singh said that Department of Atomic Energy is designing and developing Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and a fund of Rs 20,000 crore were allocated in the Budget 2025 for deployment of five SMRs by 2033.
The fund has been allocated for supporting the development of SMRs, including variants like Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR)-200Mwe; Small Modular Reactor (SMR) -55Mwe and gas-cooled high-temperature reactor meant for hydrogen production.
In 2024-25, as part of the Budget announcement, a policy directive has been set to partner with the private sector for setting up Bharat Small Reactor (BSR), and in pursuance of the same, the NPCIL has floated a Request-for-Proposal to private industries to finance and build small-sized 220 MW-PHWR based NPPs as captive plants for electricity production, the MoS said.
A Task Force has been constituted in Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) to look into the amendments required in the Atomic Energy Act, he said. “This Task Force has members from the DAE, AERB, NPCIL, NITI Aayog, MoLJ, and MEA. The Task Force is looking into various aspects like build, own, operation of NPPs by the private sector, nuclear safety, security, safeguards, fuel procurement/ fabrication, waste, management and spent fuel reprocessing,” he said.
“In addition, a separate Task Force is also looking into the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (CLND Act) to address the concerns raised by private suppliers,” he said.
IANS