Bruce Power continues to expand its medical isotope reach after receiving approval to operate an on-site hot cell facility.
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) approved the facility, authorizing Bruce Power to perform Target Carrier Removal (TCR) – an important step in the production process for lutetium-177, a medical isotope used in prostate cancer treatments and an increasing number of targeted therapies in precision medicine.
A hot cell facility is a heavily shielded, secure containment room used to safely handle, test and analyze intensely radioactive materials.
“This approval represents another transformational step in Bruce Power’s journey to improve lives through the production of cancer-fighting medical isotopes,” said James Scongack, Bruce Power’s chief operating officer and executive vice-president. “With the hot cell now licensed and approved for operations, we are strengthening Ontario’s integrated isotope supply chain, increasing efficiency and expanding our ability to deliver cancer-fighting medical isotopes to patients around the world. This achievement reflects years of innovation, collaboration and dedication from our employees, partners and regulators, and reinforces Canada’s position as a global leader in isotope production.”
Bruce Power has produced cobalt-60 since 1986, supplying isotopes used to sterilize approximately 30 per cent of the world’s single-use medical devices.
The company began producing medical-grade cobalt-60 for cancer treatments in 2021 and became the first commercial nuclear power reactor in the world to produce lutetium-177 in 2022 using its Isotope Production System (IPS).
“This achievement demonstrates how rural Ontario continues to lead in some of the world’s most advanced nuclear technologies,” said Lisa Thompson, MPP for Huron-Bruce and minister of rural affairs. “The approval to operate Bruce Power’s hot cell is not only an investment in our region’s economic future, but also a testament to the skilled workforce, strong communities and spirit of innovation that define Bruce, Grey and Huron counties.”