India Inc hails nod to nuclear deal

NEW DELHI: Green signal to the Civil-Nuclear deal by the US Senate opens the door for private firms to participate in India's nuclear energy generation and government should now amend the Atomic Energy Act facilitating entry of private players in the sector, Indian Inc has said.

"Indian private sector has acquired capabilities for participating in nuclear power projects. The Atomic Energy Act needs to be amended immediately providing for private sector participation in the country's nuclear energy generation," industry body FICCI said.

The US Senate today approved a legislation on the nuclear deal, paving the way for its operationalisation, four days after the House of Representatives gave its nod for it.

Ficci said amendments in the Atomic Energy Act should allow for majority ownership for private sector investors. The country has the potential to generate 60,000 MW of nuclear power over the next 25 years involving an investment of over 100 billion dollars. Already 10 nuclear power projects are being vetted by the government.

Assocham President Sajjan Jindal said with passage of the deal, investments of Rs two lakh crore can flow in nuclear power generation in the next 15 years.

Indian companies like NTPC, Reliance Energy, Tata Power, L&T and BHEL can collaborate with global majors like GE, Westinghouse, Areva and EDF in nuclear energy generation.