VZCZCXRO6225
RR RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHMT RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHOT #1242/01 2622142
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 182142Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8517
RUEANFA/NRC WASHDC
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RUEAHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHDC
RUEAEPA/EPA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0045

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 001242 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INS/NESS, WHA/CAN AND EEB 
DOE FOR NE AND NNSA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KNNP ENRG TRGY SENV CA
SUBJECT: MEETING BETWEEN U.S. NRC CHAIRMAN DALE KLEIN AND 
CNSC PRESIDENT MICHAEL BINDER 
 
Sensitive but Unclassified.  Protect accordingly; not for 
Internet distribution. 
 
¶1. (U) Summary:  U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) 
Chairman Dale E. Klein traveled to Ottawa from July 17-19, 
¶2008.  On July 18 Klein discussed reactor licensing and 
medical isotope production issues recently appointed Canadian 
Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) President Michael Binder; 
and met with Embassy Ottawa DCM Terry Breese.  On July 19 the 
Chairman spoke about the role of the NRC and independent 
regulators to participants at the World Nuclear University 
Summer Institute in Ottawa.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) On July 18, 2008, NRC Chairman Klein, Paul Dickman 
(Chief of Staff/Executive Assistant, Office of the Chairman); 
Gary Holahan (Deputy Director, Office of New Reactors); 
Geraldine Fehst (Office of International Programs); and ESTH 
Counselor discussed prospects for new nuclear reactor 
construction in Canada and the United States with CNSC 
President Michael Binder.  Attending with Binder were CNSC 
officials Barclay Howden (Director General for Regulatory 
Improvements and Major Projects Management); Gerry Frappier 
(Director General, Directorate of Assessment and Analysis); 
Patricia McDowell (Vice President, Regulatory Affairs 
Branch); Dale Austin (Director, Policy Coordination Division, 
Strategic Planning Directorate); Colin Moses (Executive 
Advisor, President's Office); and Nicolas Lesieur 
(International Relations Officer, Strategic Planning 
Directorate). 
New Reactor Designs ) Sharing Experience 
---------------------------------------- 
¶3. (SBU) Dr. Klein offered to share NRC work and experience 
on certifying new reactor designs with the CNSC, along with 
the strong proviso that the CNSC, as an independent 
regulatory body, should also perform independent design 
reviews to ensure that all regulatory requirements in Canada 
have been satisfied as well.  Negotiations have begun with 
regard to a draft Annex, prepared by the CNSC, to memorialize 
the NRC offer to share NRC design reviews.  The Annex will be 
added to the "Administrative Arrangement between the NRC and 
the CNSC for Cooperation and the Exchange of Information in 
Nuclear Regulatory Matters Arrangement."  Target date and 
venue for signing is September 2008 at the upcoming 
International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference in 
Vienna.  Also discussed was the need for regulatory bodies to 
share any information about fraudulent nuclear components 
manufactured and sold around the world. 
 
The NRU and Medical Isotopes 
---------------------------- 
¶4. (SBU) Chairman Klein and President Binder discussed the 
events leading up to the shutdown of the National Research 
Universal Reactor (NRU) in Chalk River, Ontario, for several 
weeks in late 2007 and the Atomic Energy of Canada Limited 
(AECL) decision to discontinue development of the proposed 
Multipurpose Applied Physics Lattice Experiment (MAPLE 1 and 
2) reactors, which were to take over medical isotope 
production from the NRU.  The NRU is a 51-year-old facility 
that now produces more than 50 percent of the world supply of 
these isotopes.  The NRU's shutdown for four weeks (November 
19-December 16, 2007) demonstrated there is little redundancy 
in the global supply chain for isotopes.  President Binder 
stated that AECL currently plans to file application to 
Qstated that AECL currently plans to file application to 
extend NRU's license beyond its present October 2011 
expiration date. 
 
¶5. (SBU) President Binder also inquired as to what, if any, 
Mo-99 production alternatives were under consideration in the 
United States, asking how long these alternatives might take 
to be licensed and in production.  Chairman Klein identified 
two possible options under review in the U.S. to serve as 
alternative suppliers: the University of Missouri Research 
Reactor Center and the Babcock & Wilcox Technical Services 
Group, both of which are more than five years away from 
possible licensing by the NRC and ultimate operation. 
Chairman Klein promised to provide an updated status and 
timeline for these proposals after his return to Washington. 
President Binder agreed with Chairman Klein's proposal for 
collaboration between the NRC and the CNSC to review all 
possible alternatives available to ensure a continuing, 
uninterrupted supply of medical isotopes for current and 
 
OTTAWA 00001242  002 OF 002 
 
 
future needs. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Chairman Klein and President Binder also discussed 
recent management and organizational changes at the CNSC in a 
private meeting. 
 
¶7. (U) Chairman Klein reviewed this message. 
 
Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at 
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada 
 
WILKINS