With the country facing severe power shortage, Pakistan plans to set up seven functional nuclear plants of 1,100 MW each by 2030 in addition to four units of 300 MW producing a total of 8,900 MW of electricity.
Chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission Dr Ansar Parvez said that nuclear power was set to become a major player in the country’s power sector.
He said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had already performed ground-breaking ceremony of two nuclear power plants with a capacity of 1100 MW each in Karachi.
The PAEC chairman said by 2030 the commission would be operating four nuclear power plants of 325 to 340 MW and seven nuclear power plants with the capacity of 1100 MW each.
About the under-construction nuclear power plants C-3 and C-4 at Chashma, he said both the plants would add more than 630 MW electricity to the national grid by 2016.
The “dome-laying ceremony” of Chashma-IV nuclear power plant was held the other day which marked the completion of civil works at the unit and it would be followed by installation of the reactor.
The country began its journey towards proficiency in nuclear energy in 1972. The PAEC chairman said the initial years were utilised in gaining experience in safe operation of plants building confidence and acquiring technology.
He noted that availability of funds was not an issue for setting up more nuclear power plants, but agreed that there were no sources other than China from where the country could get reactors.
“Pakistan is facing a global policy of denial,” he said. China has committed USD 6.5 billion to finance the construction of two nuclear power plants which were being built with Chinese help and technology. Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong had recently said that a number of Chinese companies had a keen interest in energy cooperation with Pakistan and they were willing to participate in water, thermal, solar, wind, civil nuclear power generation projects.
