AHMEDABAD: ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India has designed and manufactured the country’s first indigenously developed specialist-grade steel plates (16Mo3). They are meant for use in heavy water reactors for the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd , said a senior AM/NS official.
In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ vision, this has been developed in collaboration with Larsen & Toubro Ltd, the official said.
These special steel plates were shipped after a flagging-off ceremony at AM/NS India’s Hazira steel plant on June 29. “This is the first time that a domestic supplier has been able to meet the high raw material and manufacturing criteria laid down by NPCIL for critical-class equipment of this grade. Previously, such plates were acquired from overseas.”
He added: “Due to a historical lack of specialist manufacturing capability among domestic plate mills, India’s nuclear programme has always imported critical alloy steel grades from Europe.” 16Mo3-grade plates are among the most critical internal components of steam generators, operating under extreme temperature, pressure and radioactive conditions.
