Westinghouse, Nordion, and PSEG team up to produce Co‑60 in the United States

[Marlin]

Westinghouse, Nordion, and PSEG team up to produce Co‑60 in the United States

https://www.ans.org/news/article-8326/westinghouse-nordion-and-pseg-team-up-to-produce-co60-in-the-united-states/

[Core Content]

Westinghouse, Nordion, and PSEG Nuclear have finalized agreements to implement cobalt-60 production technology at Salem Units 1 and 2. The project utilizes Cobalt Burnable Absorber inserts within fuel assemblies to generate the isotope during standard operations. Installation of the first targets is scheduled for later this fall.

This initiative establishes domestic production of cobalt-60, a critical isotope for medical device sterilization currently sourced from international reactors. By adapting pressurized water reactor technology to withstand high-pressure and high-temperature environments, the project provides a new supply chain model. This development offers the U.S. nuclear fleet a method to diversify operations while addressing global demand for medical isotopes.

This past January, Westinghouse Electric Company, Nordion, and PSEG Nuclear formalized agreements to implement newly developed cobalt-60 production technology at Units 1 and 2 of PSEG's Salem nuclear power plant in New Jersey, with the Co-60 to be supplied to Nordion. Through an ongoing joint initiative, the companies aim to harness U.S...

Salem and Hope Creek nuclear power plants near Hancocks Bridge, N.J. (Photo: PSEG)

The milestone is an evolution of a partnership that Westinghouse and Nordion established in 2019 with the goal of pioneering a new nuclear technology to meet the continued strong growth in demand for Co-60. Nuclear projects at this scale come with their fair share of challenges, including technology development, licensing, implementation planning, and integration with operations. By the time the first cobalt targets are installed later this fall, this program will represent seven years of...

Read the full article at ans.org:
https://www.ans.org/news/article-8326/westinghouse-nordion-and-pseg-team-up-to-produce-co60-in-the-united-states/