SHINE Moves Closer to Building Isotope Facility

Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff concluded during a hearing Tuesday that SHINE is both technically and financially capable of carrying out the plan, and that all environmental and public concerns have been addressed to this point. The commission expects an order with post-hearing questions from NRC Secretary Annette Vietti-Cook around Dec. 22, and during the hearing the commissioners expressed eagerness to come to a decision on issuing SHINE’s construction permit. If approved, the company would still need to obtain a federal operating license.

“The commission is well served to make a very efficient deliberation and hopefully a timely decision on this matter,” Commissioner Kristine Svinicki said in closing remarks following the six-hour hearing.

Molybdenum-99 is radioisotope that decays into technetium-99m. Collectively, the isotopes account for 40 million doses annually around the world. The isotopes are used for treating cancer of the brain, blood, bones, lungs, liver, kidney, and other organs.

Supply for molybdenum-99 is uncertain, as Canada’s National Research Universal reactor is expected to permanently shut down in March 2018, leaving the Western Hemisphere without a supplier of the isotope.