Research reactor at BARC to be shut down by December 2010

Mumbai, Nov 15 (PTI) The 40-MW CIRUS research reactor
located at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) here will
be shut down completely by December 2010 as per the Separation
Plan under the Indo-US civil nuclear deal.

The CIRUS, established 49 years ago, was refurbished in
2005 for carrying out research work and production of medical
radioisotopes. It will be closed down completely by the end of
December 2010 and subsequently decommissioned, BARC Director
Srikumar Banerjee told PTI.
Scientists are currently using the refurbished CIRUS for
basic research, engineering experiments, equipment testing and
production of medical radioisotopes, he said.
Under the Separation Plan (civilian and military), India
had committed to shut down the Canadian-supplied CIRUS
research reactor and shift the French-supplied fuel core of
1-MW Apsara reactor to a new research facility outside the
strategic BARC complex.
Although CIRUS, which has been involved in India's
strategic programme, will be shut down completely and later
decommissioned, APSARA is being modified into a 2-MW reactor
using indigenous low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel and its new
incarnation will become operational by 2012 to back up the
indigenous 100-MW research reactor 'DHRUVA', Banerjee said.
(More) PTI LV
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