CHALK RIVER, Ontario, Aug. 17 (UPI) -- A Canadian research nuclear reactor is ready to go back in operation and to resume creating badly needed medical nuclear isotopes, officials said.
The National Research Universal reactor at Chalk River, Ontario, has been out of service for 15 months, creating major problems for the world supply of life-saving isotopes used in nuclear medicine, Postmedia News reported Tuesday.
The 52-year-old reactor was shut down in May 2009 to repair a pinprick leak of radioactive heavy water and other corrosion problems at the base of the facility's 17,000-gallon heavy water containment vessel.
Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. had initially estimated the work would be completed in 3 to 4 months.
The unforeseen extent of corrosion, the complexity of making repairs in a highly radioactive environment and other problems caused repeated delays, threatening Canada's world dominance in the estimated $4 billion global molecular imaging and radiotherapeutics market, Postmedia News said. UPI
