Libya’s Atomic Energy Agency proposes to rehabilitate Tajoura reactor for production of medical isotopes

Libya’s Atomic Energy Agency has proposed a plan to rehabilitate and restart the Tajoura Nuclear Research Reactor to produce radioactive isotopes used in the diagnosis and treatment of a range of diseases and tumors, with the aim of reducing reliance on imports.

Radioactive isotopes are widely used in nuclear medicine to track organ functions and detect certain diseases and tumors through medical imaging techniques. Some isotopes are also used in treatments that target specific tissues with radiation.

The Agency said the Tajoura reactor, which has a nominal thermal capacity of 10 megawatts, could contribute to the production of several medical isotopes, including those associated with the production of technetium-99m, which is widely used in single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging.

It stressed that the reactor’s 10-megawatt capacity alone does not determine whether isotopes can be produced or in what quantities, as production depends on several technical factors. Restarting the reactor would also require the completion of technical, security, economic and regulatory studies, a reassessment of its infrastructure, and compliance with safety and licensing requirements.