Power company Exelon plans to produce molybdenum-99 at its Byron Nuclear Generating Station in Illinois, potentially submitting a license amendment request to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in early 2017.
Mo-99 is an isotope that decays into technetium-99m, which is used in imaging procedures for cancer, heart disease, and bone and kidney disease. The Western Hemisphere no longer houses a steady mo-99 supplier, as Canada stopped producing the isotope at National Research Universal reactor this fall.
Unlike other companies seeking to produce the isotope, Exelon would not need to build a new facility. The company will have to apply for an amendment to the operating licenses for Byron Units 1 and 2. The company has scheduled a Dec. 5 pre-application meeting with the NRC to discuss the potential for moving forward.
“Production of Moly-99 at Byron Station is an exciting opportunity for Exelon Generation,” Exelon spokeswoman Kristen Otterness said by email Wednesday. “It would allow us to be involved in a process that ultimately helps doctors across the country diagnose and treat their patients.”
Northwest Medical Isotopes, SHINE Medical Technologies, Coqui RadioPharmaceuticals Corp, and others all plan to build new facilities to become the first American commercial producers of mo-99 in more than 25 years.
