Pakistan begins nuclear power plant construction

ISN SECURITY WATCH (Thursday, 29 December: 13.20 CET) - Pakistan has begun construction of a second nuclear power station at Chashma in Punjab province, news agencies reported on Thursday.

Pakistani government officials began work on the 325-megawatt plant in Chashma, which is the second to be built at the site with Chinese help, as the reactor design is based on the Qinshan 1 nuclear reactor in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang.

China agreed to build the power plant in December last year. Both China and Pakistan insist that the nuclear reactor is for civilian purposes only.