India’s parliament on Thursday passed legislation to open nuclear power generation to private companies as part of the government’s ambitious plan to nearly triple clean energy production within six years.
India is the third-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, and remains deeply dependent on polluting coal, which accounts for 75% of the country’s total power generation, to meet its soaring energy demand.
Power blackouts are common in the world’s most populous nation, and demand is rising quickly as the economy grows and the middle class expands.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the legislation “marks a transformational moment for our technology landscape” and also opens “numerous opportunities” for the private sector.
“From safely powering AI to enabling green manufacturing, it delivers a decisive boost to a clean-energy…