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AECL pulls plug on reactors after millions spent

SHAWN MCCARTHY

From Saturday's Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 5:18 AM EDT 17/05/08

Crown corporation spent years trying to solve problem that increases chance of meltdown in units meant to produce medical isotopes ...Read the full article

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  1. William Wright from Edmonton, Canada writes: It is now 8:15 pm. MDT. I am the first post on this issue.
    Let's see ... Friday afternoon on a long weekend while Canada is on the move to cottage country; nobody in government available for comment. Standard operating procedure. Not that I expected that the new government of Canada would leave a spokesperson hanging around Ottawa to answer the flurry of questions regarding the announcement of another Harper time-bomb. Damn these guys are good. And stealthy!
  2. I R from White Rock, BC, Canada writes: William, the unveiling of the 'New' Victoria Cross seems to have distracted everyone from this story. I don't fully understand this story but given the past controversy with Harper, Ms. Keen and AECL, I have to wonder if this is another stab to undermine and destroy Canada's nuclear industry (and R&D for industry) and sell it off to the highest bidder so that Harper and his people can boast about how well they have balanced the budget (while literally selling out the country and its future).
  3. Ron tegen from Brandon, Canada writes: Before too many people link this disaster only to the Harper government they should remember this is the result of all previous Liberal and Conservative governments. Appointing presidents like Sheridan Pork who did nothing but travel and hide in their office and political hacks to the board of directors sealed the fate of the company. Like the Avro Arrow we may have seen the loss of another industry in this country. Every Canadian government seems determined to keep us as hewers of wood and drawers of water.
  4. Yogie Bear from The Forest, Canada writes: Ron tegen from Brandon, Canada writes: Before too many people link this disaster blah, blah, blah.
  5. desiderio manzanal jr from laval, Canada writes: We will not know the actual game unless you are playing with the big boys. IT obviouse that you just dont abandon millions of dollars worth of technology unless the scientist in charge are 100% certain that the flaw cannot be fixed. In fact the data on Research and Development, Design of that reactors is actually worth quite a bit and many countries would love to get their hands of that research and design data. Now if Edison decided that his 100th attempt of building a light bulb was complete failure then we may still be living under candle light. Often its not the brightest that wins out but the one that stay on course. The question one should ask is what is the future of AECL without the maple reactor. Does it remain competitive with current design. It s possible, the current management was parachuted in (ie appointed) to make sure this does not succeed. But we will never know...All we know is another one bites the dust and AECL bows out without even asking for more funding after all it is up to the government whether they want to continue funding the research based on its potential future worth to the country. IT all about investing in the future...Canadian were not consulted whether they want to continue investing ob or to dump a multi million dollar investments.
  6. desiderio manzanal jr from laval, Canada writes: Hopefully, scientist out there with knowledge of the maple reactor would fill in some of the details so that the public have a better idea why the millions of dollars spend of this multi purpose reactors will be dumped.
    According to the AECL website, the Hanaro Reactor in south korea is based or similar to the AECL maple reactors. THat hanaro reactor achieved critical and was commisioned i think .
  7. Catherine Wilkie from Canada writes: Midnight call to Ms. Keen to fire her. And she was doing her job.
    AECL administration should have received the phone call.
    And Lunn is defending AECL?
  8. Gerry Pankhurst from westport ontario, Canada writes: In September 1957 I was appointed Project Manager for the construction of the Canada India Reactor (CIR, now designated CIRUS) in Trombay, near Bombay in India. It was to be a copy of the Chalk River NRU. In fact prior to my appointment I was briefed at the NRU site, which was nearing completion and we had several of its plans and specs. My employers were the designated contractor because they built the NRU and many of my specialist crew came from that project. I regret to say it was in that facility that India developed their nuclear bomb capabilty, much to the dismay of the international nuclear community. That's another story.

    The question that has been gnawing at me since the isotope fiasco, a while ago, is why, considering CIRUS a copy, can the Indians not produce medical isotopes? Or can they? If not, why not?
  9. Jim Somerville from Ottawa, Canada writes: I'm missing something. Why don't we just build another identical copy or two for ourselves and shut down the old one? Or was that what they were doing but not to an identical design, but to a new supposedly improved design? And just now they're discovering that the new improved design has a safety flaw that cannot be overcome?
  10. Danny Williams discovers oil Stevie Harper taxes oil for it's owner ? from Canada writes:
    Lunn knows ! Korea bought two maple reactors in 1996 and AECL built and put them in service .

    MDS purchased two maple reactors and AECL could not make them pass muster ? MDS sue AECL ? NO they entered into voluntary mediation . Weeks after Cons come to power their new appointee settles the mediation . AECL buys out MDS ' investment ' in reactor @ $300 to $500 million . AECL also gives MDS a twenty year guarenteed supply of isotopes . Not sure what MDS did in return .

    Keen's expert panel puts safety orders against old reactor . Appointed head of AECL or Natural Resources can't be held responsible for something this unimportant ?

    Major shutdown planned for old reactor . MDS brass , Canada Health ministry , Natural resources or AECL make no contingency arrangements for isotopes ? Other suppliers around the world where not even notified of impending outage ?

    This is all Ms. Keens fault ?
  11. Danny Williams discovers oil Stevie Harper taxes oil for it's owner ? from Canada writes: Jim Somerville from Ottawa, Canada writes: I'm missing something. Why don't we just build another identical copy or two for ourselves and shut down the old one? Or was that what they were doing but not to an identical design, but to a new supposedly improved design? And just now they're discovering that the new improved design has a safety flaw that cannot be overcome?
    Posted 17/05/08 at 8:43 AM EDT

    Military toys where bought on credit and kept secret for national security ? AECL being a crown corp. would have to openly borrow the financing as harper blew the surplus .
  12. John Fedup from Canada writes: Gerry Pankhurst from westport ontario

    India has a considerable number of A-bombs which answers your question. Bomb manufacturing is more important than producing medical radionuclides. If I lived next door to Pakistan, I would come to the same conclusion.
  13. Danny Williams discovers oil Stevie Harper taxes oil for it's owner ? from Canada writes:

    Almost clean sweep ? Government settles softwood lumber court case , settles MDS / AECL voluntary mediation and brings Ottawa Sick Building lawsuit sides together outside court trying to find settlement .

    Once more 'right thinking ' judges are appointed we will not have to avoid court ?

    One must admire how harper couragously tackled all these issues within weeks of election and nearly solved all ! What a man !
  14. John Fedup from Canada writes: This is not a Harper or Keen problem. The Maple reactors were started under Chretien. As much as I despise the $hit from Shiwinagan, it is only partly his fault (poor funding for AECL, add Mulroney as well). The real problem is AECL management, period.
  15. John Fedup from Canada writes: Jim Somerville from Ottawa

    I guess AECL should have only built one Maple first in order to see if it worked.
  16. Danny Williams discovers oil Stevie Harper taxes oil for it's owner ? from Canada writes: John Fedup from Canada writes: This is not a Harper or Keen problem. The Maple reactors were started under Chretien. As much as I despise the $hit from Shiwinagan, it is only partly his fault (poor funding for AECL, add Mulroney as well). The real problem is AECL management, period.
    Posted 17/05/08 at 9:25 AM EDT |

    If the head of crown corp. is only a figure head and government of the day spy why is he paid so much ? If Cabinet Ministers are only figure heads and government eyes and ears why are they paid extra ?

    Why do taxpayers pay management and board of directors if the buck always stops with shareholders ? Is our shareholder meetings just a rubber stamp ?
  17. Danny Williams discovers oil Stevie Harper taxes oil for it's owner ? from Canada writes: John Fedup from Canada writes: This is not a Harper or Keen problem. The Maple reactors were started under Chretien. As much as I despise the $hit from Shiwinagan, it is only partly his fault (poor funding for AECL, add Mulroney as well). The real problem is AECL management, period.
    Posted 17/05/08 at 9:25 AM EDT |

    As much as I despise chretein mulrooooney governments could some be fooled by the sucessful build of two Korean maples by AECL ?
  18. Ruth Walker from Edmonton, Canada writes: The Maple projects are the best measure we have of AECL competence to design nuclear reactors - and they have been found most wanting.

    There is no way AECL should be supported for an even bigger boondoggle - the ACR-1000. Can you imagine building a fleet of never-tested AECL product, only to find out that they won't work properly, ever. That is the likeliest outcome of the ACR-1000 project.

    The NRU fiasco calls into question the safety culture at AECL. I doubt that the safety-second folks at AECL are using anything like best practices. Reactor safety standards have come a long way since the last successful Candu design, generations ago. The world has not stood still!

    I support nuclear power, but I absolutely oppose any attempt to bring the AECL product to Alberta.
  19. Uncle Fester from What's Left, Ont, Canada writes: What we have here is the perfect example of why government should not be in business. If AECL had been a private enterprise (not funded by the bottomless pit of taxpayer dollars), these reactors would have been aborted years ago, or else AECL would have gone out of business. AECL must be privatized and left to survive according to it's own successes and failures. What a joke.
  20. John Fedup from Canada writes: Danny Williams

    We will have to wait for some posts by experts but I think there must be some significant differences between the Korean reactors and the Maples (besides size). As I understand it, these Maples could not be controlled properly (pretty huge problem) which is not case with the Korean or any other Candu reactors.
  21. John Fedup from Canada writes: Uncle Fester from What's Left

    Cruel but true! Unfortunately AECL has phucked up so badly that 'going out of business' is the most likely outcome.
  22. Danny Williams discovers oil Stevie Harper taxes oil for it's owner ? from Canada writes: John Fedup from Canada writes: Danny Williams

    We will have to wait for some posts by experts but I think there must be some significant differences between the Korean reactors and the Maples (besides size). As I understand it, these Maples could not be controlled properly (pretty huge problem) which is not case with the Korean or any other Candu reactors.
    Posted 17/05/08 at 10:05 AM EDT

    I was not trying to argue with you . All the con talking points are an excuse . Very good of this bunch to come in and shelter all problems instead of laying it out there for all to see . Trust us scrapping is the final solution .

    This merely points out how accountability is best handled behind the scenes . This way when I look at a shipping carton assembled at Chalk River constructed of 2' X4' 's and 3' metal screws I proud say harper has brought Canada back !
  23. The Iconoclast from Canada writes: if AECL is so incompetent, why don't we ask for help from Iran and N. Korea?
  24. John Fedup from Canada writes: Danny Williams

    This is a AECL matter not a conservative or liberal matter. I am sure what your last point is.
  25. Danny Williams discovers oil Stevie Harper taxes oil for it's owner ? from Canada writes:
    AECL has a mangement group & CEO .

    AECL reports to the Natural Resources who reports to Cabinet who reports to PMO who reports to Caucus . Trying to copy free market is one thing . Copying freemarket with carte blanc is wrong .

    Liberals , Cons , NDP and Bloc are paid to look after who's interest ? No debate , no freedom of info , decisions ripped out of the courts hands , safety officer called liberal plant and fired .

    If I lived next door to Pakistan, I would come to the same conclusion. Posted 17/05/08 at 9:20 AM EDT | If you worked for a precise , science driven high tech. going concern would you expect a professional shipping dept . ?
  26. jack sprat from Canada writes: Harper let a reactor that failed all tests start up again.

    Now, this is obviously cutting off AECL to get it ready for sale, no doubt.

    Harper recently applied to allow Canada to enrich uranium, his golas are military goals not goals to provide electricity or medical isotopes. His desire is to sell AECL and produce nukes, there is no doubt and it fits his desire for power.

    None of this stuff with any debate in the HOC or announcements to the public.

    You cannot trust harper.
  27. Kwok Tam from Toronto, Canada writes: Canada and all other countries in the world do not need nuclear weapons. Production of nuclear weapons by any country in the world should be outlawed. Any use of nuclear weapons will increase the level of radioactivity in our earth's atmosphere and pollute our environment further. It is harmful to mankind.
  28. jack sprat from Canada writes: Kwok, so are you not alarmed that our PM has secretly decided to apply for Canada to enrich uranium?

    Why are the Canadian people not part of the decision?
  29. Nancy Wilson from N.Ontario, Canada writes: Isn't it better that they admit failure now,rather than wait another decade,and another 10's of millions of being wasted?
    It has once again,on G&M ,turned into a partisan feud.
    Liberals,Conservatives,Ndp'ers have all been involved in decesions made by the ACEL.
    No Party has yet done things right.
    Some posters want an outright ban on Uranium sales.
    ...even though Nuclear Energy is one of the safest,most reliable and cleanest alternative we have.
    'Clean' coal is an oxymoron.
    And oil,gas,are very limited,and produce a lot of GHG's.
    Solar,wind energy are great,but simply can't meet the needs of our society,even if we drastically reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
    Biofuels seemed to be an stupid decision,as we watched hungry Countries that relied on corn and rice,see their food base become unaccessible due to surging prices.
    So,what are the solutions people?I mean REALISTIC solutions.
    Nuclear energy seems to be our best alternative.
    Even some die-hard Green peace enthusiasts are finally realisiing it.
    It is a very clean and very efficient form of energy.
    Serve up some better ideas,and I will listen.
    But at least,let realism play a role.
  30. Gord Galvin from Chalk River, Canada writes: Nicely said Nancy....

    There are a lot of ill informed posts on this string.

    The nuclear industry is undergoing a resurgence because it is a reasonable alternative.

    The failure of the MAPLE reactors have no connection to the power generation capabilities of AECL products.

    We will see power generating reactors built in Canada and I hope they are Canadian designed and built. However if they turn out to be Japanese, US or French the same Canadians will build and operate them and I look forward to participating.
  31. Emilio Garazgos from Kanata, Canada writes: Nancy Wilson from N.Ontario, Canada writes: Isn't it better that they admit failure now,rather than wait another decade,and another 10's of millions of being wasted?

    ... (Nuclear Energy) is a very clean and very efficient form of energy.

    Sorry Nancy. I have to disagree.

    Failure is never a reason to quit R&D. That's why it's called 'and Development'. Failures are simply steps in the learning process.

    Getting out of the business of saving lives and focussing on the business of nuclear reactors whose short history leaves much to be desired is just plain stupid. Shades of Avro Arrow all over again.

    While it may be true that nuke-generated electricity may appear 'clean' from a consumer's viewpoint, the fact is that it's not the electricity generation that's a problem.

    It 's the radioactive waste disposal that's the big problem, not to mention the horrendous inefficiency that is that is inherent in the transmission infrastructure.
  32. Danny Williams discovers oil Stevie Harper taxes oil for it's owner ? from Canada writes: John Fedup from Canada writes: Danny Williams

    This is a AECL matter not a conservative or liberal matter. I am sure what your last point is.
    Posted 17/05/08 at 10:39 AM EDT |

    The Ottawa Citizen 2008
    The $300 million for Atomic Energy of Canada Limited will nearly triple the budget of the Crown corporation, which develops nuclear products and reactors. The budget indicates that the funding would help AECL develop an advanced Candu nuclear reactor and maintain safety and operations at its Chalk River facilities.

    Harper No Fault Management Inc . & all silent M.P.s in the House paid MDS $350 - $500 million for two reactors that they scrap 3 months later ? This alone is more than the AECL's yearly budget ! How much is it going to cost to honour the 20 year isotope contract that No Fault Management gave MDS ?

    Not liberal ,bloc , ndp or con ? Taxpayers fault for re -electing anybody not on our side !
  33. Danny Williams discovers oil Stevie Harper taxes oil for it's owner ? from Canada writes: Harper No Fault Management Inc . & all silent M.P.s in the House paid MDS $350 - $500 million for two reactors that they scrap 3 months later ? This alone is more than the AECL's yearly budget ! How much is it going to cost to honour the 20 year isotope contract that No Fault Management gave MDS ?

    Not liberal ,bloc , ndp or con ? Taxpayers fault for re -electing anybody not on our side !
    Posted 18/05/08 at 9:47 AM EDT

    ERROR , ERROR : Harper No Fault Management Inc. paid MDS $350 - $500 million for two reactors 2 weeks after they were elected . (some one signed off on a secret ending to Voluntary Mediations )
    Then 3 months after starting a review on the situation they scrap the newly purchased project from MDS ?
  34. Sue W from Canada writes: In 1988, Canada's nuclear agency announced construction of an 'amazing ... one-of-a-kind' reactor to supply critical radioactive materials for cancer and heart treatments....Now, Stephen Harper's administration is finally saying, enough is enough, and pulling the plug on one of Canada's longest-running and most expensive boondoggles....The reactors were supposed to cost $50 million, then $100 million, then $500 million before they hit close to $700 million last fall.....Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., the federal nuclear agency that owns the pair of duds, had apparently estimated it would cost upwards of $300 million more to address the technical problems.....

    http://winnipegsun.com/News/Columnists/Weston_Greg/2008/05/18/5601781-sun.html
  35. Danny Williams discovers oil Stevie Harper taxes oil for it's owner ? from Canada writes: Sue W from Canada writes: 1 fact $80 million this years budget ???

    http://winnipegsun.com/News/Columnists/Weston_Greg/2008/05/18/5601781-sun.html
    Posted 18/05/08 at 10:02 AM EDT |http://www.canada.com/cityguides/dawsoncreek/story.html?id=f19e8d0e-19c9-4644-9e85-057c32d33f32AECL budget tripled
    The Ottawa Citizen
    Published: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 $350 million
  36. Robin and Christine from Tory Hill, Canada writes: Nuclear energy clean??????? LOOK at the cycle for gods sake. We live with the aftermath of uranium mining, tailings pits in LAKES that contaminate our water source, devalue our land and affect our health. Our PRIVATE land has been staked for uranium exploration by US companies. These 'exploration' companies rape the land and walk away without any clean up whatsoever. You people better wake up and smell the coffee, nuclear energy is a FILTHY BUSINESS from start to finish. One day you'll wake up and find that your drinking water is contaminated from spills at Port Hope.

    Robin Simpson
    www.fighturanium.com
  37. JustTheFacts, Jack from Canada writes: Harper’s New Government paving the way for privatization of AECL. First, cut the funding, destroy the research, the product, and send the people packing. Harper’s AVRO Arrow. Remember, Chalk River in 1944 was part of the Manhattan Project. AECL was created as a Crown corporation in 1952 and made Canada a producer of some of the world's top nuclear research. Under Brian Mulroney, parts of the company were sold. Nordion International Inc., the profitable isotope-producing arm of AECL went to MDS Inc. for a meagre $165-million with access to world markets for isotopes without competition. Fast-forward to 2007, Lunn appoints Michael Burns, a B.C.-based wind power executive to become chairman of AECL. While ignoring safety concerns under the Minister’s watch he resigns. Linda Keen becomes the target of Harper’s affections. Months later, Lunn appoints another AECL chief executive - Hugh MacDiarmid, former executive at Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. MacDiarmid says: “We are making the right business decision given the circumstances…” How you ask, “by extending the life of the 50-year-old Chalk River research reactor.” Now that is a business decision that Flaherty would be proud of.
  38. Danny Williams discovers oil Stevie Harper taxes oil for it's owner ? from Canada writes: Sue W from Canada writes: Posted 18/05/08 at 10:02 AM EDT

    Do you have the true history ?

    AECL started develping Maple reators in1988 ?

    AECL built 2 for Korea that went into service in 1996 ?

    MDS hired AECL to build them 2 in 2000 ? AECL bought them off MDSin 2006 and scrapped them in 2008 .

    Sue am I close or do you have an article I could read ?
  39. Kim Morton from Canada writes: From the information provided it would appear to be a good business decision to scrap the project. This is what R&D is all about. You try something and sometimes it works and some times it don't.Only a Liberal government would support dumping more money into a project that plainly won't work.Witness the fire arms registry., Multi culturalism, bilingualism.
  40. Danny Williams discovers oil Stevie Harper taxes oil for it's owner ? from Canada writes: Kim Morton from Canada writes: From the information provided it would appear to be a good business decision to scrap the project.

    Nobody is debating that point and learning lessons or heads rolling is not the way this tough on crime government works . On a Friday afternoon of a long weekend before break week they put out a tightly controlled press release .

    All $700 million laid on these two reactors , inuendo of some boondle somewhere and another victory for freedom of info and democratic harper .
  41. Dr Demento from Canada writes: AECL was put in this predicament by the Mulroney government when they sold AECL's profitable Radiochemical Company to Nordion (now MDS Nordion) in 1991. As part of the deal they committed AECL to design and build new dedicated isotope production reactors for Nordion on a very short schedule, with insufficient R&D funding for what was a risky implimentation of a new and untested reactor design. The schedule should have allowed for a demonstration prototype as was done for the original CANDU.
  42. Joe Gopher from Canada writes: I R from White Rock, BC, Canada writes: William, the unveiling of the 'New' Victoria Cross seems to have distracted everyone from this story. I don't fully understand this story but given the past controversy with Harper, Ms. Keen and AECL, I have to wonder if this is another stab to undermine and destroy Canada's nuclear industry (and R&D for industry) and sell it off to the highest bidder so that Harper and his people can boast about how well they have balanced the budget (while literally selling out the country and its future).---------------------------------------
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    So there is a master plan to undermine and destroy the nuclear industry and all R&D in Canada?
    Uh, why would they be doing that?
    Do you really believe that?
    When you think about it, doesn't it sound like something a far left nutbar would believe?
    Does your nonsense really ad anything to the debate?
    Or does it just make you look silly?
  43. Harper-approved lies are scripted talking points from Canada writes: Harper wants his own "Avro Arrow" and has found it in the nuclear industry.

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