RW Monitor
11/7/2014
IN THE NRC
Stephen Burns was officially sworn in as a new member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission this week. Burns previously worked at the NRC for more than 30 years, rising to General Counsel under then-Chairman Gregory Jaczko, but left in 2012 for a position with the Nuclear Energy Agency. Burns was nominated to serve as an NRC Commissioner this summer, and was confirmed by the Senate in September. Some officials have speculated that Burns is likely to serve as interim Chairman when current Chair Allison Macfarlane departs at the end of the year, mainly due to his extensive experience with NRC protocol. “After decades of serving the Commission in a legal capacity, it is truly an honor to join the Commission as a member,” Burns said in a statement. “The NRC has an important role in protecting the American people, and I look forward to working with our other commissioners in making decisions that strengthen nuclear safety and security.” Burns’ term will expire on June 30, 2019.
IN THE STATES
Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) shook up the leadership of the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission late last week by naming a new Chairman, as well as adding a new member. Perry appointed Brandon Hurley as the new Chair of the Commission, replacing Bob Wilson, who will continue to serve as a Commission member. Hurley will serve as chair of the Commission for a term to expire at the pleasure of the governor, the announcement said. “I want to thank Bob Wilson for his instrumental and dedicated leadership since the inception of this commission,” Gov. Perry said in a statement. “His knowledge and experience will continue to be invaluable to the commission.” Perry also named John Salsman as vice-Chair, and he appointed Clint Weber to the Commission to serve for a term that expires in September 2019.
IN THE INDUSTRY
Centrus Energy (formerly known as USEC) has regained compliance with New York Stock Exchange listing standards after reaching an average 30 trading-day market capitalization above $50 million, the company announced this week. The company fell out of compliance with listing standards in April 2013, and Centrus then submitted a plan to the Exchange for bringing it into compliance over an 18-month cure period. The NYSE notified the company late last week that it had regained compliance, which came a month after the company emerged from a Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring and switched its name from USEC to Centrus. “Over the past 18 months, the management and employees of Centrus worked hard to achieve the goals set out in the plan of compliance submitted to the Exchange, which included the restructuring and strengthening of our balance sheet through the Chapter 11 process,” John Barpoulis, Centrus senior vice president and chief financial officer, said in a statement. “We appreciate the professional, cooperative approach of the Exchange during this period.”
SHINE Medical Technologies has entered into a supply agreement with Lantheus Medical Imaging to provide the diagnostic imaging company with molybdenum-99, the medical isotope used in millions of procedures annually, the company announced this week. SHINE is one of several companies trying to get through the regulatory hurdles to begin the production of Moly-99, and it expects to start production by the end of 2017. This supply agreement marks the second such agreement SHINE has entered into, following one to supply GE Healthcare as well. “This definitive agreement with Lantheus signals the beginning of a new era for the production of radioisotopes in North America, in which a private producer can thrive,” SHINE CEO Greg Piefer said in a statement. “This agreement, along with another agreement earlier this year, shows that SHINE is important to the future of medical isotope generation. We could not be more pleased that this agreement is with Lantheus — a long-time global leader in the production of Tc-99m generators, and a pioneer in the area of LEU-conversion. We look forward to serving their needs with our cost effective, safe, and environmentally-friendly production technology.”
