Canada medical reactor shutdown may be extended

Friday, June 5, 2009 at 3:28 AM Posted by Beijing News


An aging Canadian nuclear reactor that makes a third of the world's medical isotopes may have to be shut down for longer than the three months initially forecast, the operator said on Thursday.

The Chalk River reactor in eastern Ontario, run by government-owned Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd, was taken out of service in May after it was discovered to be leaking a small amount of heavy water.

AECL officials said on Thursday that close examination of the reactor had discovered corrosion in several places and said there was no immediate or simple solution. AECL is now developing a plan on how to carry out the repairs.

"Three months is probably -- just judgmental -- looking optimistic today, but we're very, very reluctant to give any further guidance until we have our plan," AECL Chief Executive Hugh MacDiarmid told the House of Commons natural resources committee.

Chalk River produces most of the isotopes distributed by MDS Nordion, a subsidiary of Canadian health sciences company MDS Inc.

The isotopes -- used in medical tests and cancer treatments -- are now in increasingly short supply.

Reporting by David Ljunggren; editing by Rob Wilson





People look at the moon at the Temple of Hercules at the Citadel in Amman. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed

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