HEAVY WATER PLANT

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30880, 13 October 1965, Page 16

HEAVY WATER PLANT

Largest In

World OTTAWA. The world’s largest heavywater plant is to be built at Estevan, Saskatchewan. Costing £l5 million it will have a capacity of 300 tons of heavy water a year. The heavy water (deuterium oxide) to be produced by the new plant will find its main use in the nuclear reactors for power generation which have been developed by the Atomic Energy of Canada Limited. It will serve a double purpose—as a moderator to control the reaction of natural uranium and as a coolant. One of the main sources of heavy water is ordinary water which contains from 140 to 150 parts a million of heavy water. The process requires large amounts of heat, and the availability of low-cost lignite coal in the Estevan area was an important factor in deciding to build the new plant in Saskatchewan.

When it begins production towards the end of 1967, Canada will have two heavy water plants—a 200-ton-a-year plant is under construction at Glace Bay, Nova Scotia.

Canoeing Results.—Results of the annual competitions at the Canterbury Venturer Scouts’ canoe day held at Brooklands on Saturday were: —Heathcote, 47 paints, 1: Darfield, 35 points, 2: Shirley, 30 points, 3: Komahi, 29 points, 4; St. Nicholas. Timaru, 13 points, 5.