Isotope shortage looms as Chalk River reactor shuts down again

[Smallc]

Canada's medical community could be faced with another shortage of diagnostic isotopes after a further shutdown of the nuclear reactor at Chalk River, Ont.

Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. said its NRU reactor was shut down last Thursday after a power outage in parts of eastern Ontario and western Quebec.

A heavy-water leak was detected within the facility the following day, and AECL estimates the reactor will be out of service for more than a month while repair options are considered.

The agency said the heavy water is being contained and stored in drums, and there is no threat to workers, the public, the environment or nuclear safety as a result.

The aging facility provides about half the global supply of isotopes used in medical imaging. AECL said it has enough medical isotopes for the coming week, but will unable to meet demand starting Saturday.

Isotope shortage looms as Chalk River reactor shuts down again

Oh goody....how long until the world decides to bypass us and get their isotopes somewhere else since we don't seem to be able to deliver?

[waldo]

well... isn't this timely given the recent weeks release of a 'government document'... released to the Canadian Press in response to a FOIP request.

let's see if Harper's learned anything this time - or will he simply revert to his tried and true politicizing of the event. Oh wait... this time the regulator is his appointee. Oh my! What will Harper do now???

Harper inflamed isotope crisis

Prime Minister Stephen Harper inflamed the Chalk River isotope crisis by calling Canada's nuclear safety watchdog a “Liberal-appointee,” says a government document.

Mr. Harper's remarks turned a few days of bad press into a full-blown saga akin to the Mulroney-Schreiber affair, says a briefing note prepared for Natural Resources Minister Lisa Raitt.

“It is clear that what might have been a relatively low-profile, or at least short-lived, medical isotope supply story became much more than that by political events, specifically, the prime minister's characterization of Linda Keen as a ‘Liberal-appointee,' and the subsequent demotion of Ms. Keen,” it says.

Natural Resources prepared the briefing note to acquaint Ms. Raitt with her new portfolio when Mr. Harper appointed her to cabinet last fall.

[Oleg Bach]

There is no excuse for this break down - all had fair warning and lots of time to prepare and repair the facility - heads should roll!

[geoffrey]

Why have we not built a new facility by now? This plant is decades old and obviously unreliable.

[Smallc]

Why have we not built a new facility by now? This plant is decades old and obviously unreliable.

We've built two new reactors at the same site....they were finished 9 years ago. Last year, they gave up trying to bring them into regulatory compliance. Perhaps they should try again?