Draft SHANTI rules set licensing, safety oversight and foreign technology pathway for India nuclear projects

The Department of Atomic Energy has rolled out draft SHANTI rules and regulations that are intended to frame a broader nuclear power ecosystem in India, including private participation and captive nuclear generation. The draft covers licensing, safety oversight and nuclear liability. It also provides for a single composite licence covering building, owning, operating and decommissioning a nuclear power plant or reactor.

The rules allow applicants to seek “in-principle” approval before finalising a site or technology, which would support negotiations with reactor technology suppliers and help applicants secure land and infrastructure.

The draft also recognises captive use cases, including power for energy intensive industries such as aluminium and cement, and applications such as data centres, semiconductor manufacturing and AI. Foreign reactor technology can be sourced, subject to regulatory approval and operation in the country of origin.

Submission deadline for views on the draft rules and regulations: September 4.

Supreme Court fines Reliance Industries ₹10 lakh for delaying NTPC natural gas suit

The Supreme Court fined Reliance Industries ₹10 lakh for delaying a suit filed by NTPC Ltd over a natural gas supply contract dating back to 2005. The court said Reliance Industries’ ability to litigate and obstruct progress appeared “unlimited,” and noted that the suit had not progressed much despite repeated stages over the years.

Judges P.S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe observed that the trial court rejected Reliance Industries’ objections, after which the matter continued through appellate and special leave routes. The court also referenced that seven years had passed since it directed the suit to be disposed of in nine months.

In addition to the fine, the Supreme Court dismissed Reliance Industries’ appeal against a Bombay High Court decision to redact portions of examination-in-chief affidavits of NTPC witness B.K. Ganguly in the long-running commercial dispute with the PSU.

Mitsubishi to compensate NTPC ₹851 crore to exit Farakka FGD project

Japanese conglomerate Mitsubishi is close to exiting an FGD project tied to NTPC’s Farakka Super Thermal Power Station in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district. The parties have reached an agreement for Mitsubishi to compensate NTPC with ₹851 crore, subject to final approvals from company boards, according to people familiar with the development.

The project was awarded around six years ago with an estimated value of ₹1,000 crore, with about 20% paid upfront by NTPC. A completion target was set for 2025, but the report says significant work remains.

Mitsubishi said it is carrying out the installation work of flue gas desulfurisation equipment for the Farakka Power Station and will continue execution under its contract with NTPC, while refraining from commenting on project status due to confidentiality obligations.

The article notes Mitsubishi was mandated to install wet limestone FGD systems in three stages (3x200MW, 2x500MW, 1x500MW) and has completed only the first stage. It also references earlier negotiations over compensation versus an earlier exemption direction affecting many coal-fired plants.