Pak increasing capacity to produce plutonium: ISIS

The images show a 8220;clearly visible row of cooling towers, typically built in the later phase of reactor construction8221; and the second reactor could 8220;start in a year8221;, said a report issued by ISIS.

It said work was also underway on a third plutonium production reactor in Khushab. Satellite imagery obtained on September 3 showed that 8220;the roof of the third Khushab reactor hall is not yet placed on top and the reactor vessel can be seen inside8221;.

8220;Once completed, these reactors will increase several-fold Pakistan8217;s ability to make weapon-grade plutonium for nuclear weapons,8221; the report said. 8220;The wider implication of Pakistan increasing its plutonium production capacity must not be overlooked. There is a real risk that it will exacerbate an India-Pakistan nuclear arms race and increase tensions more broadly between the two,8221; it said.

A priority for the US should be 8220;a verified cut-off of the production of plutonium and highly enriched uranium for nuclear weapons in South Asia and worldwide,8221; ISIS said.

Both India and Pakistan have not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty and went nuclear after testing atomic weapons in 1998. The Nuclear Suppliers Group recently approved a waiver to its rules to allow India to acquire technology and know-how as part of the civil nuclear deal with the US. Pakistan has been seeking a similar exemption, saying there should not be any discrimination towards its efforts to acquire equipment and know-how to boost the generation of atomic power.

The Khushab nuclear site in Punjab province originally consisted of one heavy-water reactor with a power of about 50 MW and a heavy water production facility. Details about the construction of the second and third reactors emerged in 2006 and 2007.

ISIS said while 8220;Pakistan has not sought to conceal the construction of these reactors, it still has not spoken publicly about their power, treating the subject as a state secret8221;.

The construction of additional cooling towers, revealed by satellite imagery obtained by ISIS this month, 8220;imply that the new reactors could be larger than the first one8221;.

8220;No electricity production equipment is seen in the satellite images. This is consistent with the purpose of the reactors being to produce plutonium for nuclear weapons,8221; the report said.

It said that if each of the two new reactors 8220;operates at 100 megawatts-thermal8221;, they could produce 8220;enough plutonium for eight to 10 nuclear weapons per year8221;. The first Khushab reactor8217;s plutonium production capacity is about two to three nuclear weapons a year.