Nuclear power in Pakistan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pakistan has two Nuclear reactors of 425 MW power. A further 137 MW KANUPP reactor, near Karachi, has been operating commercially since 1972. Two 300 MW pressurised water reactors, CHASNUPP-1 and CHASNUPP-1 have also been operational since 2000 near Kundian.

One Nuclear power plant is under construction and two new Nuclear power plants are proposed.

Pakistan is not a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

[edit] Nuclear weapons

Main article: Pakistan and weapons of mass destruction

Pakistan covertly developed its nuclear weapons over many decades, beginning in the late 1970s. It is contended that Pakistan began its nuclear development programs in response to India's nuclear device. It is unknown when Pakistan began its nuclear development projects, but by the 1980s it was suspected of having successfully developed nuclear warheads. However, this was to remain speculative until 1998 when Pakistan conducted its first nuclear tests at the Chagai Hills, a few days after India conducted its own tests.

Many organisations have speculated Pakistan's nuclear bomb production capacity to be in between 50-60 per year although the exact number of possible nuclear weapons within Pakistan's arsenal is kept strictly confidential. Uniill recently these figures were widely accepted but according to a British intelligence report (after President Bush's visit to India, Pakistan and Afghanistan in 2006 where he confirmed a nuclear deal between the US and India) Pakistan's production capacity was mentioned as twice the original estimation due to the detection of a secret heavy water plant in the Punjab region of Pakistan. However, this was largely taken as a rumour to justify us and india nuclear deal. Pakistan currenly possesses ballistic missiles and fighter planes which can carry conventional weapons and nuclear warheads.

[edit] See also

• Nuclear power
• Nuclear power by country