India’s leading technology-powered conglomerate Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has won a new order (significant*) from the France-headquartered intergovernmental body – the ITER organisation for deployment of critical advanced technologies for assembly of ports & complex parts with the Vacuum Vessel at the world’s largest nuclear fusion project at Cadarache in Southern France.
The Company also inked an MoU with the ITER Organization – for technical collaboration on the project. Under the MoU, L&T will help the ITER Organization with the development of ‘state of the art’ technology for the ‘first of a kind’ hardware and assembly of all such fusion relevant systems inside the vacuum vessel of ITER Tokamak to control the plasma operation. Majority of these activities will be in the Tokomak pit at the ITER site.
It may be recalled that during the COVID pandemic in 2020, L&T had successfully fabricated and completed the early delivery of the world’s largest stainless-steel high-vacuum pressure vessel (Cryostat) for the ITER project.
Regarding the MoU, Mr Pietro Barabaschi, Director General ITER, said:
“I’m happy to announce the signing of this MoU with Larsen & Toubro. In previous contributions to ITER, L&T has demonstrated its reliability in high-tech manufacturing. This is vital to meeting the technology challenges of the ITER project. I wish to add that India has been a strong partner and contributor to ITER, and we look forward to continued collaboration.”
Commenting on the new deal, Mr Anil Parab, Whole-time Director & Sr Executive Vice President - Heavy Engineering and L&T Valves, said: “L&T and ITER are teaming up to combine their strengths to build the world’s largest Tokomak, to prove the feasibility of nuclear fusion as a large scale and carbon-free source, based on the same principles that powers the Sun. The technical collaboration will showcase L&T’s capabilities in high-tech manufacturing in global markets.”
