ML090150026

Notice That the University of Missouri Research Reactor Intends to Apple for the Necessary Nuclear Regulatory Commission License to Construct and Operate a Molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) Processing Facility

ML090150026
Person / Time
Site:	University of Missouri-Columbia
Issue date:	01/12/2009
From:	Rhonda Butler Univ of Missouri
To:	Alexander Adams Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, NRC/NRR/ADRO
References
Download: ML090150026 (2)

Text

Research Reactor Center 1513 Research Park Drive Columbia, MO 65211 University of Missouri PHONE 573-882-4211 FAX 573-882-6360 January 12, 2009 WEB http://web.missouri.edu/-murrwww Mr. Alexander Adams Jr.

U.S. Nuclear regulatory Commission Mail Stop 012-G13 Washington, DC 20555-0001

Subject:

Notice that the University of Missouri Research Reactor intends to apply for the necessary Nuclear Regulatory Commission Licenses to construct and operate a Molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) Processing Facility The purpose of this letter is to provide notice that the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) intends to pursue a project whose objective is to process Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) targets in order to supply up to 50% of the Mo-99 required to meet the current U.S. demand for this vital medical radioisotope. The MURR appears to be uniquely positioned to fulfill a national need for a domestic source of this radioisotope and demonstrate to the international community the viability of producing Mo-99 without the use of Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) targets which represent a global proliferation risk.

While this project is currently in the conceptual design stage, MURR wishes to provide early notice of our plans for resource planning purposes and to begin dialogue with NRC staff to help assure the efficiency of the regulatory licensing process. We anticipate that this project will require license amendments to our Reactor License (Class 104c Amended Facility License No.

R-103, Docket No. 50-186) because our reactor would provide the irradiation of the LEU targets that would be processed. This project may also require a 10 CFR 70 license for the possession and use of Special Nuclear Material (SNM) in the form of LEU targets in the process of producing Mo-99.

MURR has a conceptual design of a processing facility which will allow the safe processing of the LEU targets. This processing building is planned to be located adjacent to MURR to permit the safe transfer of targets to the facility after irradiation. Within the next few months we plan to put contracts in place to carry out the engineering design and safety evaluations necessary to provide the bases for licensing application(s) during the second quarter of calendar year 2010.

We will communicate to the NRC promptly if this tentative schedule changes significantly.

If you have any questions, please contact me at 573-882-4211.

Sincerely, Ralph A. Butler Director 0 FIGHTING CANCER wITH ToMoRROW's TECHNOLOGY

Bc: Dr. Robert Duncan, MU Vice Chancellor for Research Kelly Mescher, UM Counsel