Pak 145;building146; reactor to multiply its nuke arsenal

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 country8217;s nuclear weapons capabilities.

Satellite photos of Pakistan8217;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 Pakistan8217;s current capabilities, according to a technical assessment by Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security and provided to The Washington Post.

The diameter of the structure8217;s metal shell suggests a very large reactor 8216;8216;operating in excess of 1000 MW,8217;8217; the report says. 8216;8216;Such a reactor could produce over 200 kilograms of weapons-grade plutonium.8217;8217; Pakistan neither confirmed nor denied the report.