"L&T Expands Nuclear Focus with MoU Signed with U.S. Fuel Company"

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Clean Core Thorium Energy (CCTE), a U.S.-based company founded by Mehul Shah, an Indian-origin entrepreneur, to collaborate on nuclear energy solutions using CCTE’s patented ANEEL fuel. The partnership signals L&T’s intent to expand its role in the nuclear energy sector, particularly in small modular reactors (SMRs), which are gaining global interest.

The MoU will see L&T work with CCTE on providing efficient clean energy solutions worldwide, leveraging CCTE’s ANEEL fuel—an innovative combination of high-enriched uranium (HEU) and thorium. This fuel, currently undergoing irradiation tests at Idaho National Laboratories in the U.S., could be pivotal for India’s nuclear program due to its ability to use thorium, a resource abundantly available in India. ANEEL also produces less waste and cannot be weaponized, making it a safer option for nuclear energy production.

L&T, which has a long history in the nuclear industry as a manufacturer of reactors and components, sees the tie-up with CCTE as complementary to its ambitions in the emerging SMR market. Subramanian Sarma, L&T’s Whole-Time Director and President of Energy, highlighted the company’s capabilities in SMR technology and ongoing discussions with potential technology partners.

The collaboration is also strategically significant as L&T could potentially support the fabrication of ANEEL fuel and assist in conducting irradiation tests in India’s Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs), the core of India’s nuclear fleet. With 20 of India’s 24 reactors being PHWRs, the potential for ANEEL fuel to be used domestically is considerable.

India’s interest in SMRs was also referenced in the Finance Minister’s Budget speech, emphasizing the Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs), which are smaller, modified versions of the country’s existing 220 MW reactors. L&T’s manufacturing capabilities could support the production of these reactors for both domestic use and export, especially as international companies like Amazon and Google express interest in nuclear power for energy-intensive data centers.

While India’s current legal framework prohibits private industry involvement in nuclear fuel fabrication, L&T is prepared to explore opportunities abroad if domestic laws remain unchanged.

HBL