Another shipment of U.S. HEU to Canada is requested

U.S. Department of Energy submitted a request for an export license XSNM3761 to supply 7.56 kg of U-235 (in 8.1 kg of HEU enriched to maximum 93.35%) to the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL). The final use of the material is listed as "for use in the fabrication of targets to be irradiated in the National Research Universal (NRU) reactor for the production of medical isotopes." The time frame of the shipment is April 2015-November 2015.

CNL has been managing the Chalk River Laboratories, the operator of the NRU reactor since October 2014, taking over that responsibility from the Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL).

The NRU reactor was scheduled to be shut down in October 2016, but in February 2015 the Canadian government extended its operation until March 2018. Canada appears to have provided the United States with assurances that the reactor will not use HEU in targets after 2016, but it is not clear if the operator has a plan to convert the production to LEU.

Previous export license, XSNM3752 to ship 7.5 kg of HEU (7 kg U-235), was requested in June 2014 and granted in August 2014.

UPDATE 06/24/15: NRC issued the license XSNM3761 on June 23, 2015.