Adani Power Sets Up Nuclear Subsidiary
Backed by legislative reform and budget support, nuclear power is emerging as India’s next big private-sector frontier in clean baseload energy.
News
- Adani Power Sets Up Nuclear Subsidiary
- Musk Unveils xAI Overhaul, Lunar AI Ambitions
- Former GitHub CEO Dohmke Raises $60 Million to Build AI Code Infrastructure
- Leadership Shakeup Deepens at xAI as Two Co Founders Exit
- India Slashes Social Media Takedown Window to Three Hours
- Cisco Moves to Relieve AI Data Center Gridlock With New Chip
Adani Power Ltd has formally entered India’s nuclear energy sector with the incorporation of a wholly owned subsidiary, Adani Atomic Energy Ltd (AAEL), according to a regulatory filing.
The unit was incorporated on 11 February with an authorized capital of ₹500,000, and will focus on generating, transmitting and distributing power from nuclear sources.
AAEL’s formation follows a major legislative shift in India’s civil nuclear framework.
In December, the Union Cabinet approved—and Parliament passed—the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, 2025, which for the first time allows private companies to build, own, operate and decommission nuclear power plants under a government licensing regime.
Previously, nuclear generation was restricted to state-owned entities such as Nuclear Power Corp. of India Ltd.
The SHANTI Act replaces aspects of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010, establishing a framework that permits foreign investment of up to 49% through joint ventures with Indian entities while retaining strategic controls over sensitive parts of the fuel cycle.
The legislation is a cornerstone of India’s effort to expand non-fossil fuel baseload capacity and support its longer-term energy security and clean-power goals.
Analysts said the legal reforms have prompted interest from major Indian energy companies, including Larsen & Toubro, Tata Power, JSW Group, Reliance Industries and Adani, to assess opportunities in a space that has long been closed to private participation.
Reuters reported AAEL as among the earliest concrete corporate moves since the policy change.
The policy shift aligns with India’s stated ambition to scale nuclear capacity toward about 100 gigawatts (GW) by 2047, up from the current roughly 8.8 GW installed base, as part of broader efforts to provide reliable, low-carbon power for rapid economic growth.
The move also comes as India signals a broader push to expand nuclear capacity as part of its long-term energy transition strategy.
In her budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman extended the existing basic customs duty exemption on imports of goods required for nuclear power projects through 2035, irrespective of plant capacity, in a move aimed at lowering cost barriers for equipment and technology imports.
The government allocated ₹24,123.92 crore to the Department of Atomic Energy, including ₹9,966.41 crore for capital expenditure, signaling sustained public investment in atomic energy infrastructure as part of India’s transition to low-carbon baseload capacity.
