At the World Nuclear Exhibition, Westinghouse Electric Company and EDF signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to produce Cobalt-60 radioisotope in select Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR) owned and operated by EDF in France.

Cobalt-60 is used in radiation sterilization of products and hence plays a critical role in  the safety of medical devices and reduces pathogens in other products. Cobalt-60 also plays a vital role in the treatment of certain brain cancers (gamma knife). This MoU marks the first step for the production of Cobalt-60 for medical uses in Europe.

Westinghouse would manufacture Cobalt-59 capsule fuel assembly inserts (COBAs) for EDF to manage in its PWRs to generate activated Cobalt-60. Westinghouse would manage the commercialization of the Cobalt-60.

EDF and Westinghouse will initiate a Feasibility Assessment and target an anticipated Cobalt-59 load date in the late 2020s with the first Cobalt-60 harvest in the early 2030s.

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Westinghouse and EDF Collaborate in Life-Saving Nuclear Medical Applications

Source: Eastern Standard Time