Department of Atomic Energy issues draft SHANTI rules for composite nuclear plant licensing

The Department of Atomic Energy has released draft implementation rules under the SHANTI Act, setting out a single composite licence covering the construction, ownership, operation and decommissioning of nuclear power plants. The draft also recognises captive nuclear generation for energy-intensive industries, opening a formal route for private-sector participation beyond the earlier state-led model. The release turns a broad legislative intent into a live regulatory design question for licensing, safety oversight and investment structuring. For India, the next steps are whether the rules move quickly to notification and how the government balances faster capacity buildout with control over fuel, liability and national security safeguards.