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{{Short description|Nuclear site in Pakistan}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Use Pakistani English|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox power station
|name                = Khushab Nuclear Complex
| image               = 
| image_caption       = 
| country             = Pakistan
| location              = [[Khushab District]], [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]]
| coordinates = {{coord|32|0|19.56|N|72|11|19.92|E|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| operator            = [[Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission]] (PAEC)
| np_reactor_supplier    = Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC)
| np_reactor_type        = [[Heavy water reactor]]/<br>[[Weapons-grade#Weapons-grade plutonium|plutonium production reactor]]
| commissioned        =  Unit 1: 1996,<br>Unit 2: 2010 (unofficial),<br>Unit 3: 2013 (unofficial),<br>Unit 4: 2015 (unofficial)
| ps_units_operational = 4 (~200MWth)
| status              = O
| ps_units_uc   = 1 (possible)
}}
'''Khushab Nuclear Complex''' is a plutonium production [[nuclear reactor]] and [[heavy water]] complex situated {{convert|30|km}} south of the town of [[Jauharabad]] in [[Khushab District]], [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]], [[Pakistan]].

The heavy water and natural [[uranium]] reactors at Khushab are a central element of Pakistan's program to produce [[plutonium]] and [[tritium]] for use in compact [[atomic weapon|nuclear warhead]]s. Khushab Nuclear Complex, like that at [[Kahuta Research Laboratories|Kahuta]], is not subject to [[International Atomic Energy Agency]] inspections.

Four currently operating reactors have capacities variously reported at between 40&nbsp;[[MWth]] to 50&nbsp;MWth, and as high as 70&nbsp;MWth. In total, they are estimated to be capable of producing {{convert|44|kg}} of weapons grade plutonium annually.<ref name=complete>[http://www.fissilematerials.org/blog/2010/02/pakistan_may_have_complet.html Pakistan may have completed new plutonium production reactor, Khushab-II]</ref> Plutonium production and [[nuclear reprocessing]] facilities are being expanded at Khushab, [[Pakistan Atomic Research Reactor#New Labs|New Labs]] and Chashma.

Pakistan's first indigenous nuclear reactor was commissioned at Khushab in March&nbsp;1996. The Khushab Nuclear Complex was conceived and planned by the then chairman of the [[Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission]] (PAEC), [[Munir Ahmad Khan]], who began work on the 50 MWth Khushab-I reactor and heavy water plant in 1986. He appointed [[nuclear engineer]] [[Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood]] and Dr. N.A. Javed, both from the [[Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission|PAEC]], as the Project-Directors for the reactor and the heavy water plant respectively.<ref>MA Chaudhri, "Pakistan's Nuclear History: Separating Myth from Reality," ''Defence Journal,'' May, 2006.</ref> According to a Pakistani press report this reactor began operating in early 1998.<ref>"Pakistan's Indigenous Nuclear Reactor Starts Up," [[Islamabad]] The Nation, 13 April 1998</ref>

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 2010 [[Prime Minister of Pakistan|Prime Minister]] [[Yousaf 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.<ref name=complete /> There has been little to no government comment on the complex or other aspects of the [[Pakistan and weapons of mass destruction|nuclear weapons program]] since the late 1990s.{{fact|date=June 2020}}

Judging by external appearance all but the first reactor are similar or identical in design.<ref>[http://theasiandefence.blogspot.com/2009/05/update-on-khushab-plutonium-production.html Asian Defence]</ref>

==Reactors==

*'''Khushab-I''' was commissioned in March 1996 and had gone critical and begun production by early 1998.<ref>[https://fas.org/nuke/guide/pakistan/facility/khushab.htm Khushab Nuclear Complex]</ref>
*Construction of '''Khushab-II''' started in 2001. It was complete by 2010.<ref name="complete"/>
*The construction of '''Khushab-III''' started in 2006 and was complete by 2013.<ref>[https://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/pakistan/khushab.htm Khushab-III]</ref> Similar to the other three completed reactors, Khushab-III is a 50 MWth heavy water reactor producing 11-15 kilograms of plutonium a year for Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme.<ref>[https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20140705075829/http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140703/DEFREG03/307030021/Third-Pakistani-Nuclear-Reactor-Operational Third Pakistani Nuclear Reactor Operational]</ref>
*Construction of '''Khushab-IV''' started in 2011. In January 2015 the reactor was believed to be complete and operational.<ref>[https://isis-online.org/isis-reports/detail/pakistans-fourth-reactor-at-khushab-now-appears-operational/12 Pakistan’s Fourth Reactor at Khushab Now Appears Operational ]</ref>
*A further reactor has been speculated on ('''Khushab-V'''). Space-based surveillance has not turned up signs that work has begun yet on any fifth plutonium reactor at Khushab, although construction of major facilities continues.<ref>[https://isis-online.org/isis-reports/detail/new-construction-at-pakistans-khushab-nuclear-site/12 New Construction at Pakistan’s Khushab Nuclear Site]</ref>

==Heavy water production==
The heavy water plant is estimated to be able to produce between {{convert|50|and|100|t}} of heavy water per year.<ref>[http://www.nti.org/learn/facilities/940/ Khushab Complex]</ref>

== See also ==
{{stack|{{Portal|Pakistan|Energy|Nuclear technology}}}}
* [[Munir Ahmad Khan]]
* [[Khushab]]
* [[Jauharabad]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.isis-online.org/publications/southasia/ThirdKhushabReactor.pdf Pakistan Plutonium Production Reactor at Khushab Nuclear Site]
* [http://www.revolutionobserver.com/2014/06/pakistans-nuclear-ambitions-2.html Pakistans Nuclear Ambitions]
* [http://www.nti.org/facilities/940/ Khushab Complex]

{{Nuclear power in Pakistan}}
{{Defence industry of Pakistan}}

[[Category:Nuclear power stations in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Nuclear weapons programme of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Nuclear reprocessing sites]]
[[Category:Nuclear power stations with reactors under construction]]
[[Category:Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission]]
[[Category:Defence industry of Pakistan]]