Pakistan speeds up building n-reactor for weapons

WASHINGTON - Pakistan has quickened the pace of construction of a new nuclear reactor that supports its nuclear weapons programme, a US research institute has said.

The Institute for Science and International Security reported Tuesday that it has got new satellite imagery from DigitalGlobe of the Khushab military nuclear site in Pakistan.

“The image from Sep 9, 2010, shows construction of the third heavy water reactor progressing, with a row of mechanical draft cooling towers that appears finished.”

An earlier available image from Dec 31, 2009, shows that construction is on at cooling towers for the third reactor.

ISIS also observed in the same image that steam was emitting from the cooling towers of the second Khushab reactor, indicating that it was at some stage of initial operation.

Islamabad announced the start of its first heavy water reactor at Khushab in 1998. It began building the second heavy water reactor at Khushab between 2000 and 2002, and work on the third reactor was launched during 2006.

“These reactors support Pakistans nuclear weapons programme,” the report said.

ISIS observed that “construction of the third reactor has progressed more quickly than the second reactor. This is evident when comparing the two reactors at similar points in their construction”.

“From the time of initial clearing and excavation for the second reactor, it took at least six years before its cooling towers appeared complete in commercial satellite imagery. In contrast, it took Pakistan less than fives years from when initial excavation is visible in commercial satellite imagery until the third reactors cooling towers appear finished.”