ANSTO today welcomed findings by Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), giving approval for completing repairs to the misaligned penetrations of the pool liner for the Replacement Research Reactor (RRR). These repairs total less than five per cent of the welding on this component.
"The approval by ARPANSA for the continuation of the construction and integration of the reactor pool liner into the RRR is positive news," said ANSTO Executive Director, Professor Helen Garnett.
"The RRR team of INVAP, JHEDI and ANSTO have worked hard to ensure that the error encountered in the pool liner construction by a JHEDI sub-contractor has been fully addressed," continued Professor Garnett.
"The error arose as a result of the sub-contractor incorrectly interpreting detailed design drawings."
"Lessons have been learnt that will further enhance the already vigilant approach all parties take in assuring high quality in construction of these major items," said Professor Garnett.
"ANSTO will work with the regulator to ensure any remaining issues or requirements are promptly dealt with.
"Quality assurance has and always will play a key part of ANSTO’s and the RRR’s work methodologies."
It is anticipated that the RRR construction will be completed by late 2005.
The construction of the reactor will allow ANSTO to meet Australia’s increasing needs for nuclear solutions to medical, industrial and environmental problems. The reactor will be a multi-purpose facility for radioisotope production, irradiation services and neutron beam research.
- ANSTO will be able to produce more radioisotopes for the growing nuclear medicine needs of Australia, as well as the different types of radioisotopes that emerging science will demand.
- ANSTO will be able to increase the work it does in the neutron bombardment of silicon to produce silicon semiconductors. This silicon semiconductor is then used in computer chips for VCRs, DVDs and power electronics.
- Neutron beams are used for research of materials, so that their structure, properties and behaviour can be more clearly understood.