WP: Pakistan Builds Plutonium Reactor

[kskiska]

Massive Plant Underway Would Generate Material for 40-50 Nuclear Bombs a Year

Monday, July 24, 2006; A01

Pakistan has begun building what independent analysts say is a powerful new reactor for producing plutonium, a move that, if verified, would signal a major expansion of the country's nuclear weapons capabilities and a potential new escalation in the region's arms race.

Satellite photos of Pakistan's Khushab nuclear site show what appears to be a partially completed heavy-water reactor capable of producing enough plutonium for 40 to 50 nuclear weapons a year, a 20-fold increase from Pakistan's current capabilities, according to a technical assessment by Washington-based nuclear experts.

The construction site is adjacent to Pakistan's only plutonium production reactor, a modest, 50-megawatt unit that began operating in 1998. By contrast, the dimensions of the new reactor suggest a capacity of 1,000 megawatts or more, according to the analysis by the Institute for Science and International Security. Pakistan is believed to have 30 to 50 uranium warheads, which tend to be heavier and more difficult than plutonium warheads to mount on missiles.

"South Asia may be heading for a nuclear arms race that could lead to arsenals growing into the hundreds of nuclear weapons, or at minimum, vastly expanded stockpiles of military fissile material," the institute's David Albright and Paul Brannan concluded in the technical assessment, a copy of which was provided to The Washington Post.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/23/AR2006072300737.html

[benburch]

1. Just playing devil's advocate... There ARE other reasons to breed Pu.

When you can make your own reactor fuel in a breeder, you are no longer dependent upon people being willing to sell you Uranium.

[daleo]

3. I haven't heard much about breeder reactors for a long time

I recall a fair bit about it in the late 70's and early 80's. I guess 3MI and Chernobyl put a damper on the idea. Have their been civilian breeder reactors built since then?

On edit - Not that 3MI or Chernobyl were breeder reactors, those events just put a damper on civilian nuclear plants in general.

[benburch]

4. No, but Pakistan isn't governed by our politics. nt

[saigon68]

14. Whats a few more BOMBS between friends

[bananas]

5. Giving you an unlimited supply of uranium for bombs. nt

[benburch]

6. That is the downside.

Personally, I think that only one sort of reactor ought ever be built. CANDU type heavy water moderated unenriched (natural) Uranium reactors. As a positive, they can burn unprocessed spent fuel from all of the existing reactors (including their old cores from decades ago) and eliminate it from possible proliferation use. They can also burn up weapons Plutonium and even breed fuel from natural Thorium in a way that does not permit weapons use.

[jpak]

10. This is not a breeder reactor

It is a CANDU-type heavy water reactor that irradiates natural uranium to produce plutonium - Israel and North Korea use similar reactors to produce plutonium for their weapons programs.

It does not produce more fissile material than it consumes.

Also, India illegally used CANDU reactors to produce plutonium for nuclear weapons - these things are the proliferator's reactor of choice...

[uppityperson]

2. well well well. Good thing they are our friends.

oh lord save us from ourselves.

[krispos42]

7. Well, look at the positives

First off, the electricity of such a reactor will give power to lots of people, power the would otherwise have to come from coal, natural gas, or other sources. Sources that a) people fight wars over and b) add to global warming and enviromental pollution.

Second: ummm, guess that's it for the positives!

On the plus side, with all that money that we're funneling into India to replace American jobs with cheaper outsourcing, the Indian government can afford to build their own nuclear plants and related nuclear bombs! India won't have to do what Reagan did and deficit-spend to keep up with Pakistan.

How long until they begin building MRBMs and ICBMs?

[TheVirginian]

8. Spend to keep up with Pakistan?

Between the two of them, India is far more resourceful, far more stable, and far more richer than Pakistan.

[krispos42]

13. True, but you still gotta spend the cash

The US was richer than the USSR but the USSR was still able to maintain military equality with us until Reagan went nuts with spending. Unless India pushes really hard, Pakistan will be able to keep up, admittedly at the cost of nonmilitary domestic spending.

[varun]

9. I hear China is helping Pakistan build reactors

Pakistan did a "tit for tat" agreement on nuke technology with China ater India and US (the India and US agreement is still being debated in the senate).

[denverbill]

11. So the country playing host to Osama is building nukes like crazy.

And we are worried about North Korea and Iran.

[Bandit]

12. I bet India just loves this news

I suspect there will be a nuclear crisis between Pakistan and India before there will between Al Qaeda and the USA but where do we focus our attention. Why "Tax Cuts" for the haves and have mores of course...:shrug:

[varun]

15. Timing of this report

...coincides with the India-US nuke deal discussions in the senate, and also the F-16 sale to Pakistan discussion in the congress.

Wonder why it came out now....