Bruce Power, along with members of its Medical Isotope Advisory Panel, will host a virtual discussion on Thursday, Oct. 22, to examine emerging trends using Cobalt-60 and its role in the fight against COVID-19.

In addition to providing Ontario with a clean, reliable source of electricity, nuclear power plays a critical role in producing medical isotopes, which are used to sterilize devices such as sutures, gloves and gowns in hospitals around the world, as well in life-saving procedures.

Most of the world’s Cobalt-60 comes from Ontario’s nuclear facilities, operated by Bruce Power and Ontario Power Generation (OPG), which provide supply to Ottawa-based Nordion to process and distribute around the world.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ontario’s reliable supply of Cobalt-60 has been crucial to ensuring the medical equipment and supplies – surgical gloves, syringes, and COVID-19 test kits used by front-line medical professionals to treat patients – are sterilized, clean and safe for use.

The participants of the panel discussion will include:
· Mike Rencheck, President and CEO, Bruce Power
· James Scongack, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Operational Services, Bruce Power
· Dr. Sten Myrehaug, Assistant Professor, Radiation Oncology, Odette Cancer Centre at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
· Susan Marshall, CEO, Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada
· Cynthia Scott-Dupree, Professor and Bayer CropScience Chair in Sustainable Pest Management, University of Guelph
· Richard Wiens, Director, Strategic Supply, Nordion
· Michael Barrett, President & CEO, South Bruce Grey Health Centre

The live video event will take place from 9-10:30 a.m. Register at https://www.brucepower.com/event/clean-nuclear-power-safe-hospitals/.

Following the event, a recording will be available at https://www.brucepower.com/events/.

source: media release, Bruce Power