Chalk River reactor to resume operations in March

The nuclear reactor at Chalk River is expected to be back in operation by March 2010.

Atomic Energy of Canada confirmed plans on Thursday to restart the aging nuclear reactor, which was forced to shut down in May due to a heavy water leak.

The shutdown dramatically reduced the production of medical isotopes across the globe, forcing many heart and cancer procedures to be delayed.

The Chalk River facility produces more than one-third of the world's supply of medical isotopes, which are used in diagnostic heart and cancer scans.

• 

  A digital meter is illuminated outside of the nuclear reactor at the Atomic Energy Canada Limited plant in Chalk River, Ontario, Wednesday, December 19 2007. (Fred Chartrand / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

• 

  Shown is a warning sign outside of the nuclear reactor at the Atomic Energy Canada Limited plant in Chalk River, Ontario, Wednesday, December 19 2007. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand)