The U.S. Department of Energy is aiming to reduce its dependence on foreign suppliers for radioisotopes, with most of them currently coming from Russia. The department plans to construct a Radioisotope Processing Facility (RPF) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Tennessee, which is expected to be operational by 2032. The RPF will help meet the growing demand for high-priority radioisotopes in the U.S., especially in medical, industrial, research, and national security applications. The project will boost the country's processing capacity and utilize ORNL's existing expertise and processes. In addition to the RPF, the U.S. Stable Isotope Production and Research Center (SIPRC) is being built at the ORNL campus to expand the nation's capability to enrich stable isotopes for various uses. The RPF will have modular hot cell bays that are portable and well-shielded, and it will adhere to pharmaceutical quality standards for the production of medical isotopes.
Thu, 03 Aug 2023 01:03:30 GMT | Oakridger