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Consultative Committee of PowerMin calls for greater push to nuclear power

The Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Power, which convened on Monday, called for a greater push to the development of nuclear power in the country. The committee, chaired by the union minister of power M L Khattar, emphasised that nuclear energy, being a non-fossil and stable power source, will play an increasingly important role in India's sustainable development journey. 'Apart from electricity generation, nuclear energy can also serve non-electric applications such as hydrogen production, desalination, process steam, and space heating, thus supporting India's broader energy transition goals,' Khattar said during the meeting. As part of the roadmap for nuclear energy, the minister highlighted the strategic steps which include amending the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010, to enable broader participation by private and state sectors. Among other policy changes suggested by the committee were facilitating faster land acquisition through brownfield expansions and repurposing retired thermal sites. Streamlining regulatory approval processes to reduce project timelines, introducing tax concessions, green power classification, and long-term financing to ensure competitive nuclear tariffs were other suggestions. The committee also called for diversifying technology choices through competitive bidding and promoting indigenous manufacturing under Make in India. Securing diversified uranium fuel sources, expanding the vendor base for specialised nuclear equipment, and building skilled manpower capacity by strengthening nuclear education and training infrastructure were also discussed. The committee also said there needs to be efforts towards building public perception and enhancing awareness about nuclear energy's safety and benefits. 'The Ministry of Power would work closely with the Department of Atomic Energy, state governments, industries, and other stakeholders to accelerate the deployment of nuclear power projects and ensure a clean, secure, and sustainable energy future for India,' Khattar said in his statement.