Private companies are entering nuclear power: Can the regulator keep us safe while 'opening the floodgates'?

The AERB chairperson's remarks gain significance in the context of SHANTI Act and the Union government's policy decision to welcome private players

A.K. Balasubrahmanian, Chairperson, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), has sought to allay concerns regarding the entry of private players into the country's sensitive nuclear energy sector, asserting that there will be no compromise on safety aspects. The sector, he said, is being opened up at the right time, given the emerging power requirement of the country.

As a regulator, the AERB will provide an "enabling environment" for private players, but at the same time, the board will not dilute the regulatory and safety requirements, Mr. Balasubrahmanian told The Hindu on the sidelines of a two-day symposium on the emerging frontiers in nuclear science and technology organised here this week by the Atomic Energy Retirees' Association.

"We are assuring private entities interested in the sector that the AERB, as regulator, is an enabling organisation. We will help them to understand the requirements, but they have to comply with them. There is no compromise on safety. The public at large need not be concerned that the entry of the private sector will be a problem. AERB's processes and requirements remain the same. We will not dilute any of that. But we will also provide a very enabling environment," he said.

The AERB chairperson's remarks gain significance in the context of the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Act, 2025 (SHANTI Act) and the Union government's policy decision to welcome private players. Mr. Balasubrahmanian observed that the sector is being opened up at the right time, as India is targeting 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047 under the Nuclear Mission.

To achieve this goal, the existing public sector infrastructure - consisting primarily of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), the Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI) and the NPCIL-NTPC joint venture Anushakti Vidhyut Nigam Limited (ASHVINI) - may prove insufficient. "If we need to increase capacity to this level (100 GW), we need more players. It is an opportunity for good private-sector companies with sufficient background in industries such as power or manufacturing," he said.

Nuclear power projects are capital-intensive, the gestation period is quite high and the projects require multiple agencies to work together - the owner of the company, the manufacturing ecosystem within the country, construction agencies, the scientific establishment and the AERB as the regulator. "There are a large number of big players with wide experience in different sectors who also possess the necessary financial stability," he said.

As far as the licensing framework is concerned, a new entity interested in constructing and operating a nuclear power plant has to secure the licence from the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India. Once this licence is issued, it must then approach the AERB, which will scrutinise the design from a safety point of view and the suitability of the site before issuing the safety authorisation for siting, followed by the safety authorisation for construction, provided they satisfy the regulatory requirements. "The AERB framework does not change whether it is a government agency or a private agency," Mr. Balasubrahmanian said.

The Department and the Board are also working on the question of ensuring that the private nuclear facilities of the future are manned by adequately trained personnel. Traditionally, personnel in India's atomic energy have been trained at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) Training School. "Under the current framework, all key nuclear power plant operators are licensed by AERB. So when the private players start coming in, their staff in the key decision-making positions too will need to be certified by AERB," the AERB chairperson said.