New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) Zero customs duty on import of goods for nuclear power projects will accelerate development, lower overall project and per‑unit electricity costs and improve viability for projects with high import content, the government said on Wednesday.
The exemption on nuclear fuels and reactor components up to the year 2035 will reduce project and electricity generation costs, thereby improving the economic viability of nuclear power projects, MoS, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh said in Lok Sabha.
The Minister informed that Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has taken several steps to strengthen the domestic supply chain for the ten newly approved 700 MW Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) units.
The steps include placing bulk orders to ensure continuity, expanding the vendor base with necessary support, promoting indigenous equipment for import substitution, reserving certain equipment for class-1 local suppliers, and organising vendor meets with a focus on encouraging MSMEs and giving them preference in bids.
Regarding enhanced funding for research and development at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), the minister said that the increased allocation is being utilised for multidisciplinary technology development aimed at achieving self-reliance.
“The focus areas include development of new research reactors, isotope production facilities especially for cancer treatment, advanced reactor technologies including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and hydrogen production, accelerator technologies, laser-based applications, and advanced materials and manufacturing technologies,” the statement said.
The minister informed that, there is no proposal currently to integrate the PM Gati Shakti framework with the construction and logistics of upcoming nuclear parks in coastal States.
India’s nuclear expansion is still expected to remain gradual and to increase to around 22 Giga Watt (GW) by FY2032, considering projects under implementation and planning, the firm forecasted, a recent report from credit ratings agency Infomerics Ratings said.
SHANTI Bill 2025 replaced the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010, with a unified legal framework governing development, safety, security, safeguards, and nuclear liability.
—IANS
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