 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Islamabad (AFP) April 5, 2011 Pakistan's nuclear regulator on Tuesday ordered a safety review of the country's two atomic power plants in the wake of Japan's nuclear disaster, warning that further steps could be required. The Pakistan Nuclear Regulator Authority (PNRA) said it asked the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) "to revisit the safety aspects of the nuclear power plants at Karachi and Chashma". Pakistan suffered a major 7.6 magnitude earthquake in October 2005 that killed 73,000 people and made more than three million others homeless in Kashmir and northwest, but its nuclear plants remained safe. "PNRA will continue to study the accident at Fukushima and the response of Japanese and other regulatory authorities and may ask PAEC to take additional measures," it said. The authority said the nuclear power plants in Pakistan "do not pose any unwarranted radiation hazard" and operate on par with international standards. China built a 300-megawatt nuclear power reactor at Chashma in Punjab province that went operational in 2000 and another of the same capacity is under construction. A plant in Karachi produces 50 megawatts. China has also been contracted to build two more reactors at Chashma, officials have said. Pakistan joined the club of nuclear-armed states in 1998. It scrambled to secure the technology after arch rival India's first nuclear test in 1974, and is now believed to have up to 100 nuclear weapons. The United States has long raised concerns about nuclear arms safety in Pakistan, worried that its weapons could fall into the hands of terrorists.
Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com All about missiles at SpaceWar.com Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
British minister advocates British-French nuclear deterrentLondon (AFP) April 2, 2011 A British junior defence minister is calling for London and Paris to develop and build a joint nuclear deterrent, The Guardian newspaper reported Saturday. Armed Forces Minister Nick Harvey put the proposal to French defence experts at the ambassador's residence this week and told The Guardian that the plan was warmly received. Historic rivals Britain and France agreed a deal in November ... read more |
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2010 - SpaceDaily. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
YahooMyWeb
Google
Facebook
