THE CANADIAN PRESS

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TORONTO - Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. says the nuclear reactor at Chalk River, Ont., can meet the country's demand for medical isotopes if required.

It emerged Tuesday that a nuclear reactor in the Netherlands that produces a percentage of isotopes for medical use in Canada has been temporarily shut down.

All five reactors around the world that make the isotopes - including the one at Chalk River - are currently offline for unrelated reasons.

About 20 per cent of Canada's medical isotopes come from overseas.

Dale Coffin of the AECL says if a shortfall occurs, the Chalk River facility can ramp up production to meet Canadian needs.

Chalk River, which supplies about 80 per cent of Canada's medical isotopes, is undergoing scheduled maintenance but is expected to be back up and running by Friday night.

Coffin says when the facility goes offline for maintenance, it stockpiles enough isotopes until it can restart production.