[cdn-nucl-l] Nuclear research reactor declared safe to reopen

["Adam McLean" <adam.mclean@utoronto.ca>]

Posted on expatica.com on March 21, 2002 and at:
http://www.expatica.com/index.asp?pad=2,18,&item_id=20855
Methods of producing isotopes without using nuclear technology (re. Last
sentence)???  Any idea what Greenpeace is asking for here?

Adam

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Nuclear reactor declared safe to reopen
21 March 2002 
THE HAGUE - The medical nuclear reactor in Petten was deemed safe enough
to resume operation, Environment Minister Pronk said on Wednesday night.


Pronk said a safety investigation at the plant using a new measuring
instrument had revealed that a crack in the reactor had not widened as
previously feared. 

But the European Commission's Joint Research Centre - also located at
Petten -needs to approve the conclusions from the Serco Assurance safety
examination before the high flux reactor can re-open. 

A general safety investigation at the reactor - which also investigated
the culture of safety at the plant - advised that it could reopen 22
March and continue operating until the summer of 2003, when a routine
safety inspection would be held 

Pronk said the safety examination was in accord with the conclusions
from Serco. 

The reactor - which makes radioactive isotopes used in the radiotherapy
treatment of cancer patients - was closed on 18 February after it was
feared a welding fault in the reactor had widened. 

There were also serious concerns about the culture of safety among the
management at the plant, located 35km north of Amsterdam. 

But Serco Assurance said there were no technical reasons why the plant
could not continue operating until 2015. 

Pronk said he did not have enough details though to make a definite
decision over the long-term life of the plant. 

But Greenpeace is still concerned over the reactor's safety and said the
plant should only re-open when the entire management team resigned. 

It also demanded more research into methods of producing isotopes
without using nuclear technology. 

[Copyright ANP/Expatica]