TORONTO – October 27, 2021 – Laurentis Energy Partners, an innovator and leader in the clean-energy industry, has joined the Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council (CNIC).
Laurentis Energy Partners offers expertise in nuclear, hydro, and solar generation, inspections and engineering, nuclear transportation, materials recycling, and medical isotopes.
Following the closure of the National Research Universal (NRU) Reactor at Chalk River in 2018, the Canadian nuclear sector responded quickly to ensure that Canada would remain a global leader in the nuclear medicine and isotope sectors.
An example of this leadership saw Laurentis Energy Partners recently announce their program to produce Helium-3, a rare isotope used in quantum computing, neutron research, border security and medical imaging. Laurentis will obtain the He-3 from tritium stored at the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station, in Durham Region, east of Toronto. The tritium is removed from heavy water in the CANDU station, owned and operated by Ontario Power Generation (OPG), the parent company of Laurentis. A stable (non-radioactive) and inert gas, the He-3 will be extracted using a new custom-designed tool, which Laurentis installed and commissioned at Darlington. Production of the valuable isotope began in Q4 2021.
Laurentis is also progressing their partnership with BWX Technologies Inc. (BWXT) to produce Molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), used in over 30 million diagnostic and medical imaging tests each year. Through this collaboration, Laurentis will become a leading supplier of Molybdenum-99 in the North American market, helping to revitalize Canada’s medical isotope industry and open doors for future research and market opportunities in this growing industry.
The unique design of Canada’s CANDU reactors allows for irradiation of isotopes to occur while the reactors continue to generate clean energy for the Province of Ontario. Once the Mo-99 targets are removed from the reactor, BWXT will utilize its proprietary technology to refine and process the Molybdenum-99 into Technetium-99m, the final product used in diagnostic imaging processes.
“These projects demonstrate the deep technical knowledge we have to run projects in various highly regulated environments,” said Jennifer Chapin, Project Director at Laurentis Energy Partners. “At the same time, they help to ensure that Canada remains a critical leader and supplier of life-saving medical isotopes globally.”
“By becoming a member of the CNIC, Laurentis joins a coalition of the true experts in isotope research and development with a clear focus on promoting and advancing the sector,” Chapin said. ”We look forward to helping to grow the Canadian isotope sector and being involved in other project opportunities with the CNIC.”
Over the past three years, the CNIC has established itself as the pre-eminent voice of the Canadian isotope sector, quickly growing from just 16 members to over 76.
“Our growing membership reflects our dedication to this sector and the potential of this industry,” said James Scongack, Chair of the CNIC. “Canada is truly an isotope superpower with nearly the complete supply chain represented in Canada. The CNIC’s focus has always been to serve as a voice in safe-guarding the continued availability of isotopes, ensuring our public policies are risk-informed and science-based, while supporting the highest levels of public health and safety.”
“Members like Laurentis demonstrate the true innovative leadership the nuclear industry is bringing to nuclear medicine. By leveraging our existing infrastructure and expertise, this sector will continue to have a significant positive impact on human health across the globe, keeping hospitals clean and safe, while expanding Canada’s leadership role in the global community by supporting new and innovative treatments.”
About the Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council
The CNIC is a coalition of science, health-care and nuclear-sector organizations to ensure Canada remains a world leader in the production of life-saving isotopes by bringing awareness and supporting long-term policies at the domestic and international level that will save countless lives and support health-care innovation for decades to come. To learn more about the CNIC visit www.CanadianIsotopes.ca and follow us on, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
For more information, please contact:
Andrew Thiele
Director
Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council
226-930-1869
canadianisotopes@gmail.com
About Laurentis Energy Partners
Laurentis Energy Partners, formed in 2012, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ontario Power Generation. Laurentis is an industry leading provider of inspection, maintenance, radiation protection, engineering, project management, material recycling and isotope production services. Laurentis services its base of international clients from offices in Ontario (Toronto, Pickering and Port Elgin); Saint John, New Brunswick; and Bucharest, Romania. To learn more about Laurentis, visit www.laurentisenergy.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
For more information, please contact:
Jessica Jones
Senior Communications Advisor
Laurentis Energy Partners
519-389-1572
jones.jessica@laurentisenergy.com