COM 0212.068 1996-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Nuclear SunseC Economic Coss of the Canadian Nuclear Industry http /iw~~w.cem.orglsunsetl.html complete the MAPLE-h_ , to back up production at the NR~. Failing that, MDS argued that the 1991 sales contract should be rescinded, and that AECL should return the $165 million purchase price of Nordion, plus $300 million in damages. As a result of the legal action, AECL halted construction of the MAPLE-X 10 in November 1993. [142] The case eventually dent to arbitration. Due to the legal dispute in progress with MDS/Nordion, the MAPLE-X10 was delayed. AECL has continued to operate the NRU despite clear evidence that refurbishment is urgently needed to reduce worker exposure; radioactive emissions to the environment; and the risk of another serious accident. The Atomic Energy Control Board bears some degree of responsibility in this situation, since it allowed AECL to proceed with the initial stages of construction for the MAPLE-X10 reactor without having approved the final design or safety analysis for the reactor. The MAPLE-X10 reactor was to have been a 10 MW light-water cooled and moderated pool-type reactor to be built at AECL's Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories. The reactor building was designed to filter and vent radioactivity, rather than contain it. The main purpose of the reactor was to produce short-lived radioisotopes for medical purposes. AECL describes the reactor as being fuelled with "low enriched uranium" (LEU), meaning that the amount of U-235 in the fuel is relatively low. However, the LEU typically used in light water reactors is 2-4% U-235, whereas the MAPLE-X10 fuel would be 19.7% [143] Construction on the MAPLE-X10 reactor building began in mid-1990. By August 1991, AECL's safety analysis showed that design changes would be required to meet AECB safety standards and all construction was hatted. The AECB noted that "...identification of these design deficiencies at this late stage illustrates significant deficiencies exist in AECL's organization of reactor design function". [ 144] Design alterations on the MAPLE-X10 were not completed until 1993. The changes included the addition of another shutdown system, and an emergency core cooling system. However, AECL decided Co cancel the project in November 1993, eventually writing off $75.351 million in 1993-94. [145] AECL had spent $40 million on just the design and construction of the reactor building, without even starting construction of the reactor itself. The original estimated total cost of the reactor in 1989 was $23 million, but AECL allowed this to escalate dran~atically to $100 million. In 1994, Nordion Vice-President Ian Mumford stated, "The $100 million figure blows our mind. We ask how this could happen but they won't show us how they get to such numbers." [ 146] MDS/Nordion had apparently contributed $20 million of the $40 million spent on the reactor up to that point. or 63 oa/os/v~ zz:z I:a~