AECL provides update on NRU activities
CHALK RIVER, ON, June 25 /CNW/ - The following information bulletin is in accordance with Atomic Energy of Canada Limited's (AECL) ongoing commitment to voluntary public disclosure of events related to the Chalk River Laboratories (CRL).
AECL reports that it made a request to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) to reschedule the previously announced public hearing date to consider AECL's application for the restart of NRU. The rescheduling of the hearing date provides AECL with additional time to conduct further analysis of the presence of trace amounts of airborne tritium detected earlier this week by NRU's monitoring system. These amounts are at levels well below regulatory limits. This also allows for further inspections and final checks of the vessel repairs following the June 23 seismic event.
As a result, the CNSC has rescheduled the hearing to July 05, 2010. The hearing will be held at the CNSC Public Hearing Room, 14th floor, 280 Slater Street, Ottawa, Ontario. Details of the hearing time will be made available at the CNSC Web site: www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca.
Guidance on the duration of the shutdown continues to be founded on the best evidence available, including the most up-to-date analysis of inspection data and critical path requirements for restart after an extended shutdown. It is estimated that NRU will resume isotope production by the end of July. Further guidance on the return-to-service date will be provided when more information becomes available.
The CNSC safety inspectors continue to provide independent regulatory oversight of AECL activities at the Chalk River site.
The NRU continues to be in a safe shutdown state with return-to-service activities in progress.
For further information: Dale Coffin, Director, Corporate Communications, AECL, 1-866-886-2325
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