| Khushab Nuclear Complex | |
|---|---|
| Country | Pakistan |
| Location | Khushab District,Punjab |
| Coordinates | 32°0′19.56″N72°11′19.92″E / 32.0054333°N 72.1888667°E /32.0054333; 72.1888667 |
| Status | Operational |
| Commission date | Unit 1: 1996, Unit 2: 2010 (unofficial), Unit 3: 2013 (unofficial), Unit 4: 2015 (unofficial) |
| Operator | Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) |
| Nuclear power station | |
| Reactor type | Heavy water reactor/ plutonium production reactor |
| Reactor supplier | Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) |
| Power generation | |
| Units operational | 4 (~200MWth) |
| Units under const. | 1 (possible) |
| External links | |
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Khushab Nuclear Complex is a plutonium productionnuclear reactor andheavy water complex situated 30 kilometres (19 mi) south of the town ofJauharabad inKhushab District,Punjab,Pakistan.
The heavy water and naturaluranium reactors at Khushab are a central element of Pakistan's program to produceplutonium andtritium for use in compactnuclear warheads.[citation needed] Khushab Nuclear Complex, like that atKahuta, is not subject toInternational Atomic Energy Agency inspections.[1]
Four currently operating reactors have capacities variously reported at between 40 MWth to 50 MWth, and as high as 70 MWth. In total, they are estimated to be capable of producing 44 kilograms (97 lb) of weapons grade plutonium annually.[2] Plutonium production andnuclear reprocessing facilities are being expanded at Khushab,New Labs and Chashma.[citation needed]
Pakistan's first indigenous nuclear reactor was commissioned at Khushab in March 1996. The Khushab Nuclear Complex was conceived and planned by the then chairman of thePakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC),Munir Ahmad Khan, who began work on the 50 MWth Khushab-I reactor and heavy water plant in 1986. He appointednuclear engineerSultan Bashiruddin Mahmood and Dr. N.A. Javed, both from thePAEC, as the Project-Directors for the reactor and the heavy water plant respectively.[3] According to a Pakistani press report this reactor began operating in early 1998.[4]
Based on the success of these projects and the experience and capability gained during their construction, onsite construction work on the second unit began around 2001 or 2002. In February 2010Prime MinisterYousaf Raza Gillani and senior military officers attended a ceremony at the Khushab complex for what is believed to be the completion of the second reactor.[2] There has been little to no government comment on the complex or other aspects of thenuclear weapons program since the late 1990s.[citation needed]
Judging by external appearance all but the first reactor are similar or identical in design.[5]
The heavy water plant is estimated to be able to produce between 50 and 100 tonnes (49 and 98 long tons; 55 and 110 short tons) of heavy water per year.[11]
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