Natural Resources committee  Thank you again for the question. You asked in the previous question who has the responsibility for determining the licensing basis of a facility, and I answered that it was CNSC staff. So too, then, when the CNSC staff advise me that they believe I'm outside my licensing basis, even though they acknowledge that the reactor is still operating safely....

Natural Resources committee  We're getting into documentation that I don't have in front of me, so it's difficult to respond to it in a proper manner. But I think what's important is that the reactor was operating safely, and everybody agrees with that. On the question of the licensing basis, we have clear documentation and support for the fact that we were operating not only safely but within our licensing envelope.

Natural Resources committee  As I've said, the facility operated safely--

Natural Resources committee  I do keep repeating that the facility operated safely because that's my primary mission, to ensure the safety of that facility, all the facilities on that site, and the safety of my staff and the public. From my point of view in this industry, that's my primary mission, so I have to keep repeating it because I believe it.

Natural Resources committee  I have not.

Natural Resources committee  The letter says the power supplies were connected to the safety upgrades, and that is correct. They were not connected to the pumps. That was seen to be and was corresponded both to the CNSC staff and in return correspondence from CNSC staff, which we submitted to Parliament. It was always clearly documented that the EPS system was not connected to pumps 4 and 5, but the letter--

Natural Resources committee  They were connected to the other safety system upgrades. That was what the letter described.

Natural Resources committee  There is no documentation that specifically says that was the requirement. There were seven safety system upgrades, of which EPS was one. EPS was designed to power the other safety system upgrades to give a seismically qualified power system to those upgrades so that their hazards qualified.

Natural Resources committee  In the absence of other correspondence, that might be a conclusion you could draw. But significant other correspondence has been submitted to Parliament that clearly articulates, both to CNSC staff and in return from CNSC staff to AECL, that the EPS was not connected to those pumps.

Natural Resources committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair and committee members. I appreciate the opportunity to speak before the committee today. I want to start by saying that the NRU reactor has operated safely. The reactor is operated by some of the most talented and capable people in the nuclear industry. We are deeply aware of and regret the impact this matter has had on the supply and delivery of medical isotopes to patients and their families around the world.