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Medical isotope reactors cancelled

by ppeggy | May 18, 2008 at 10:51 am | 335 views | 1 comment

Twelve years, 4800 employees and heaven knows how much money - but plans for two new nuclear reactors producing medical isotopes are kaputt. I have to admit, being a fervent anti-nuclear person, I'm glad to hear it.

(CBC) - Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. said Friday that it's stopping development of its two MAPLE reactors at its laboratories in Chalk River, Ont.

The decision - based on a series of factors including cost, time frame and risks involved - is effective immediately, AECL said in a news release.

"This was a difficult choice given the tremendous efforts expended by our people on development of the MAPLE reactors," the release said.

The federal government expressed support for the decision while noting that it will have no impact on the supply of vital medical isotopes, which are used in diagnosing and treating cancer and heart ailments.

"After 12 years, these reactors have never worked and never produced medical isotopes," the federal government said in a joint news release from Health Minister Tony Clement and Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn.

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jordan

at 10:59 on May 18th, 2008

good stuff:

I'm sort of surprised that it only took them 12 years to admit that the project was failing. Still, it's better not to waste resources and create undue risk for nothing.