ANSTO today welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Industry, Science and Resources that he had accepted the advice and recommendations of the Minister for the Environment and Heritage supporting a replacement nuclear research reactor at Lucas Heights.
Todays announcement by Senator Minchin that he had accepted the advice and recommendations of Senator Hill was the culmination of an 18 months long environmental assessment of the proposal, which was announced by the Federal Government in September, 1997.
The multi-purpose research reactor is scheduled to be operational in 2005. The up to 20 megawatt replacement reactor will replace the existing 10-megawatt HIFAR (High Flux Australian Reactor), that was commissioned in 1958.
The replacement will produce three times more neutrons in its core than HIFAR, but like it will be a fraction of the size of a power-generating reactor (commonly 3000 megawatts). It would be built on a site adjacent to HIFAR, which will be shut down when its replacement is commissioned. Upon completion of a number of remaining tasks, ANSTO anticipates going out to tender for the project in the second half of 1999 and awarding a contract around the middle of 2000.
Four vendors have been prequalified to participate in the tendering process: Siemens of Germany, Atomic Energy Canada Limited, INVAP of Argentina and Technicatome of France. Significant Australian industry involvement will be required.
ANSTOs Chief Executive, Professor Helen Garnett, said the organisation looked forward to using the replacement reactor to provide continuing benefits to Australia in medicine, environment, general industry, agriculture and to the research community, both in Australia and in the region.
ANSTO will implement plans, in association with the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency, Environment Australia, relevant State authorities and other stakeholders to address the recommendations.
Published: 03/05/1999