Larsen & Toubro (L&T) is in advanced stages of discussions to set up a joint venture with Russian nuclear projects firm Atomstroyexport to establish a production unit in India for manufacturing equipment for nuclear power projects.
A pact between Uranium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL) and Russia's Atomredmetzoloto for the exploration of uranium in Russia and third countries is also on the anvil. The proposed production unit will initially focus on the manufacture of non-core equipment and subsequently shift to making critical parts at a later stage.
L&T has been associated with the Indian nuclear power programme, supplying critical equipment such as reactor vessel (calandria), end shields, steam generators and heat exchangers at existing indigenous Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors. The two sides are also expected to announce a second site for setting up an atomic power project using the Russian ‘VVER' reactor series.
