The restart of a nuclear reactor that produced one-third of the world's supply of medical isotopes is now expected in August, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited said.
Earlier this month, Canada's nuclear safety commission authorized the restart of the half-century old National Research Universal reactor in Chalk River, Ontario -- 185 kilometres northwest of Ottawa.
The reactor was expected to begin working again on July 31, after being shut down last year after a containment vessel began leaking radioactive heavy water. But AECL says that during the reloading of reactor fuel officials determined some reactor instrumentation was not responding as expected.
Medical isotopes produced by the reactor are used to diagnose cancer and heart disease in patients around the world. The shutdown led to a global shortage.
The restart of a nuclear reactor that produced one-third of the world's supply of medical isotopes is now expected in August, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited said. 
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