MAPLE reactors not a quick fix to the global isotope issue

MISSISSAUGA, ON, July 30 /PRNewswire/ - In response to a statement issued
today by MDS Nordion on how the MAPLE reactors could solve the isotope crisis
within 24 months, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) issued the following
summary of an opinion editorial published by Dr. Jean-Pierre Labrie, AECL's
Manager of Reactor Physics and Systems Behaviour, Office of the Chief
Engineer, on the status of the MAPLE reactors.

Contrary to reports that the MAPLE reactors are the short-term answer to
today's global medical isotope shortage, there are significant technical and
regulatory hurdles that require, in the best-case scenario, at least five to
six years of intensive research and analysis before we can even consider
bringing the MAPLE reactors on-line.
In May 2008, AECL announced the discontinued development of the MAPLE
reactors. The main hurdle to completing the reactors was, and remains,
resolving a power coefficient of reactivity (PCR) issue.
The MAPLEs were first-of-a-kind experimental reactors with technical risks
known at the onset. The reactors were licensed by the Canadian Nuclear Safety
Commission (CNSC) to operate with a small negative PCR. That means the core
reactivity was to decrease as power increased. In June 2003, commissioning was
put on hold when test data analysis indicated the reactor had a small positive
PCR.
Extensive scientific analysis, consultations with the Korea Atomic Energy
Research Institute and tests conducted between June 2003 and May 2008 could
not resolve the PCR issue.
In addition, neither AECL nor its retained experts, including Brookhaven
National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory and Argentinean INVAP, which
recently completed Australia's OPAL research reactor, were able to determine
the cause of the positive PCR.
Beyond resolving the MAPLE PCR issue, the associated processing facility would
need to be commissioned and the isotope product approved for use by regulatory
authorities before these facilities could be brought on-line to supply medical
isotopes.
Resurrecting the MAPLE project is not a quick fix to today's global isotope
issue.

The following is the opinion editorial by Dr. Jean-Pierre Labrie, Manager of
Reactor Physics and Systems Behaviour, Office of the Chief Engineer, as it was
published.

I am a nuclear physicist and the Manager of Reactor Physics and Systems
Behaviour, Office of the Chief Engineer, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
(AECL).
From 1994 to 2004, I was AECL's General Manager, Isotope Business, responsible
for NRU reactor isotope supply. In 1996, I assumed the additional role of
Project Director, leading the development, design, engineering, licensing,
construction and commissioning of two Multipurpose Applied Physics Lattice
Experimental (MAPLE) reactors, and an associated processing facility.
Contrary to reports that the MAPLE reactors are the short-term answer to
today's global medical isotope shortage, I can confirm there are significant
technical and regulatory hurdles that require, in the best-case scenario, at
least five to six years of intensive research and analysis before we can even
consider bringing the MAPLE reactors on-line.
In May 2008, AECL announced the discontinued development of the MAPLE
reactors. The main hurdle to completing the reactors was, and remains,
resolving a power coefficient of reactivity (PCR) issue.
The MAPLEs were first-of-a-kind experimental reactors with technical risks
known at the onset. The reactors were licensed by the Canadian Nuclear Safety
Commission (CNSC) to operate with a small negative PCR. That means the core
reactivity was to decrease as power increased. In June 2003, commissioning was
put on hold when test data analysis indicated the reactor had a small positive
PCR. Extensive scientific analysis, consultations with the Korea Atomic Energy
Research Institute and tests conducted between June 2003 and May 2008 could
not resolve the PCR issue.
In addition, neither AECL nor its retained experts, including Brookhaven
National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory and Argentinean INVAP, which
recently completed Australia's OPAL research reactor, were able to determine
the cause of the positive PCR.
The resolution of this issue was, and is, a potentially insurmountable hurdle
to safely commissioning the MAPLE reactors as currently designed. AECL will
never, operate an unsafe reactor.
The last test conducted by AECL in April 2008 showed no reduction in positive
PCR value. Following this ultimate result, the decision was taken not to
pursue further testing.
There was indeed another test planned later in 2008. However, had it been
conducted, and had we continued down the expensive path of continuing
development, further testing would still have been required and the MAPLEs
were still years away from being licensed for isotope production.
While the PCR issue is the most definitive reason for discontinuing the MAPLEs
project, it was clear we faced serious additional project risks due to the use
of Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) in the production process. Post
9/11-heightened awareness of nuclear non-proliferation changed the risk
equation markedly toward the possibility that an HEU-based facility would
prematurely become obsolete.
The MAPLE reactors are currently in an extended shutdown state, not in "hot
standby mode" as per some media reports.
Also, before the MAPLEs could be brought into service, AECL would need to:
- Take the MAPLE reactors out of their extended shutdown state

- Certify MAPLE operating staff

- Obtain CNSC approval to run further tests to address the PCR issue

- Successfully determine the causes of the PCR issue

- Make safety cases for completing reactor commissioning and irradiating
HEU targets for isotope production, on an ongoing basis

- Obtain CNSC approval to commission the isotope processing facility and
commission it with irradiated targets

- Demonstrate the quality and quantity of the isotopes produced, and,

- Obtain CNSC approval to place the MAPLEs and processing facility into
service.

Beyond this, there are requirements for isotope distributors to get approvals
of MAPLE-produced isotopes by regulatory bodies such as Health Canada and the
US Food and Drug Administration. These hurdles, in a best-case scenario in
which the PCR issue is resolved, would take at least five to six years to
overcome before the MAPLE reactor and the processing facility could be brought
on-line to produce medical isotopes.
Likewise, if we were to redesign the reactor core, as some recommend, AECL
estimates that it would take seven to 10 years to do so, with no guarantee
that the PCR issue wouldn't reoccur or that other first-of-a-kind technical
risks would not materialize.
Resurrecting the MAPLE project is not a quick fix to today's global isotope
issue. In fact, based on my knowledge of the project, I hesitate to say it is
a medium- or even long-term fix to the problem.

Dr. Jean-Pierre Labrie
Manager of Reactor Physics and Systems Behaviour,
Office of the Chief Engineer,
Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
Mississauga, Ontario

SOURCE Atomic Energy of Canada Limited

Dale Coffin, Director, Corporate Communications, AECL, 1-866-886-(AECL) 2325