OPAL (Open Pool Australian Light-water)
OPAL is located at Lucas Heights in New South Wales, Australia, operated by ANSTO. This 20 MWth research reactor is a critical facility for isotope production, particularly Mo-99 for medical use in the Asia-Pacific region, and supports materials science and neutron scattering research. Operational s
Key Stats
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OPAL (Open Pool Australian Light-water)
Status: OPERATIONAL Category: RESEARCH Country: Australia Australia Operator: ansto--australian-nuclear-science-and-technology-organisation Type: Pool Pool Capacity: 20 MWth (thermal only)
Overview
OPAL is located at Lucas Heights in New South Wales, Australia, operated by ANSTO. This 20 MWth research reactor is a critical facility for isotope production, particularly Mo-99 for medical use in the Asia-Pacific region, and supports materials science and neutron scattering research. Operational since 2006, it replaced the older HIFAR reactor.
Key Facts
Notes
Replaced HIFAR in 2006. Lucas Heights, NSW. Major source of Mo-99 for Asia-Pacific region. Replicated ILL design.
Source: IAEA PRIS / reactors_canonical · Enriched by Grok Last updated: 2026-05-10
Sources
- IAEA PRIS - OPAL [UNVERIFIED] — Official record of OPAL reactor details in the IAEA Power Reactor Information System.
- Wikipedia - OPAL Reactor — General overview and history of the OPAL research reactor.
- ANSTO - OPAL Reactor [UNVERIFIED] — Official information from the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, the operator of OPAL.
- World Nuclear Association - Nuclear Power in Australia — Country profile including details on OPAL and Australia’s nuclear research capabilities.
- World Nuclear News - OPAL Reactor [UNVERIFIED] — Article marking a milestone in OPAL’s operational history.
Sources (1)
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