Reports

Light Water Reactor Construction Progressing at Yongbyon Nuclear Site

March 5, 2012

ISIS has acquired a new satellite image taken on February 3, 2012 of the Yongbyon nuclear site in North Korea which shows that construction of the light water reactor is progressing. In the new image, the reactor’s turbine building appears externally complete (see figure 1). The dome for the reactor building, however, remains on the ground next to the building. An earlier satellite image from September 20, 2011 shows the turbine building still under construction (see figure 2). Figure 3 shows the fuel fabrication facility at the Yongbyon nuclear site which includes the gas centrifuge uranium enrichment plant. Figure 4 shows the reprocessing facility at the Yongbyon nuclear site.

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p> Figure 1. February 3. 2012 commercial satellite image of the light water reactor construction site at the Yongbyon nuclear complex in North Korea. The turbine building for the reactor appears externally complete.

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p> Figure 2. An earlier commercial satellite image from September 20, 2011 of the light water reactor construction site. The turbine building is still under construction as of this image date.

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p> Figure 3. February 3, 2012 commercial satellite image showing the fuel fabrication facility at the Yongbyon nuclear site. The gas centrifuge uranium enrichment plant is located within this facility.

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p> Figure 4. February 3, 2012 commercial satellite image showing the reprocessing plant at the Yongbyon nuclear site.

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