AECLs public hearing to reopen NRU postponed to July 5
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) has rescheduled the previously announced public hearing date to consider AECL’s application for the restart of National Research Universal (NRU) reactor at Chalk River, Ontario, until July 5.
According to the Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), which requested the extension, the rescheduling of the hearing date allows the agency additional time to conduct further analysis of the presence of trace amounts of airborne tritium detected earlier this week by NRU’s monitoring system.
However, the amounts are at levels below regulatory limits, reported AECL, allowing for further inspections and final checks of the vessel repairs.
The AECL has estimated that NRU will resume isotope production by the end of July.
The CNSC safety inspectors continue to provide independent regulatory oversight of AECL activities at Chalk River. The NRU continues to be in a safe shutdown state with return-to-service activities in progress.
According to the Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), which requested the extension, the rescheduling of the hearing date allows the agency additional time to conduct further analysis of the presence of trace amounts of airborne tritium detected earlier this week by NRU’s monitoring system.
However, the amounts are at levels below regulatory limits, reported AECL, allowing for further inspections and final checks of the vessel repairs.
The AECL has estimated that NRU will resume isotope production by the end of July.
The CNSC safety inspectors continue to provide independent regulatory oversight of AECL activities at Chalk River. The NRU continues to be in a safe shutdown state with return-to-service activities in progress.