Pakistan

Pakistan opens third nuclear power plant

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani inaugurated a 330-megawatt nuclear power plant built with Chinese assistance.

Afp May 12, 2011

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Thursday inaugurated a 330-megawatt nuclear power plant built with Chinese assistance.

The plant is at Chashma in Punjab, where a Chinese-aided power plant of similar capacity is already operational.

"Today is a proud day for Pakistan and for Pakistan's civil nuclear energy programme," Gilani said as he commissioned the second unit.

"It is yet another illustrious example of the Pakistan-China cooperation in the field of nuclear science and technology," he said.

Conctruction had begun on December 28, 2005 and was connected to the electricity grid on March 14, 2011.

The IAEA Board of Governors had unanimously approved the Safeguards Agreement between Pakistan and IAEA with respect to the Chashma-2 plant in November 2006.

Pakistan’s two research reactors (PARR-I & PARR2) and two nuclear power plants (KANUPP & CHASHMA-1) are already under the IAEA safeguards.

Chashnupp-2 is part of Pakistan's "Energy Security Plan", that envisages an increase in nuclear power generation from the current 425-megawatt to 8800-megawatt by the year 2030 to meet country's growing energy demands.

Work on the Chashma-3 and Chashma-4 reactors with 300-megawatt each is also under way and will help add 600-megawatt to the grid.

COMMENTS (27)

Hira | 13 years ago | Reply Good news after ages i guess!

LooseSalwar | 13 years ago | Reply For Pakistan, nuclear energy is an indulgence. The world can safely accept a Pakistan exclusively running on fossil fuels, especially natural gas. Not unless Pakistan reaches Korean levels of industrialization, is there going to be any worry about climate change caused by Pakistan. The situation for India, China is diametrically opposite. They have no choice but to invest in nuclear energy generation.

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Nauman | 13 years ago | Reply I study energy and the businesses around it for a living and by far the best 2 methods are still Hydro and Nuclear . . . The rest are too expensive, financially and environmentally . . . The nuclear waste although an issue, but not as great as other options in terms of financial and environmental implications (with 99.9% reliability)

Nobody | 13 years ago | Reply @Blunt!: Same reason any country would "side with" (for lack of a better word) another country: benefit. Why wouldn't they? A country having an ally is not a strange concept or something specific only to Pakistan (or due to "fear"). Does India "side with" the states for any reason except benefit? Or is it "fear" as you put it..? And India's progress is not linked to China's per se (atleast not in the sense I think you're stating), except in a competitive arena, as India tries to compete with China. Countries don't have allies/make "friends" based on fear my friend. Cheers!

Iftikhar Ahmad | 13 years ago | Reply Wind/solar energy are expensive toys.

Karim Javed | 13 years ago | Reply There was also a suggestion there from Chinese Govt. to open a electric power plant with the use of our own coal cheapest electricity ever produce in this world i think. But they denied it because their are some quota system still here in our Govt. not to give someone else our profit :( This happens in every department. We have one of the shameless nation in this world am sorry to say but we can do anything for our profit.

Zahid Aslam | 13 years ago | Reply It is G8 news ........thnx God

Arijit Sharma | 13 years ago | Reply @wahwah khan: "I am proud of my fast friend Engr. Iftikhar Mohammad for contributing his expertise in this project. " Thanks for the lead.

MKB | 13 years ago | Reply Its a start, and I see no harm if the right safety precautions and safeguards are in place. Accidents will happen no matter what so with the fact that nuclear power has the potential to provide a lot of power from a small footprint, and lasts a long time, I say go for it. We can think of alternative sources of energy once we have the power to feed our industrial and economic growth. Once the economy is on track we can then think of changing paths. Of course power is just one aspect of this equation.

phantom | 13 years ago | Reply Indeed a great achievement but still a lot more to do, hail china for providing us assistance for such projects, what might be its interests . . . no one care as anything is better than nothing. we need to improvise these opportunities and need self sustenance to build one of our own. Pakistan needs more of these reactors particularly 1000 MWe units for power hungy nation since the govt. is not willing to take initiatives for hydro projects and A bit unfortunate that china is not global supplier of such reactors so we might not get them as no one is willing to sell it to Pakistan.

maria | 13 years ago | Reply @Ralph: No most countries cannot afford to do away with nuclear power. This is a fact. What we need to do is to regulate nuclear power closely and ensure standards but to ignore our energy requirements is just folly. Yes Pakistan should look at clean renewable sources of energy but I don't see most Western nations turning their back on nuclear power any time soon despite all the resources they are throwing at solar, wind and other projects. Pakistan needs more new efficient nuclear power plants from all sources, including the Europeans. We should be thankful that the Chinese have remained staunch friends and allies of Pakistan in times of need.

Blunt! | 13 years ago | Reply @tungalahore - How I see you taking pride in China's rise! Well, to tell you, if China is rising then so is India, not as fast as China but surely its pacing up! Deep down do you fear that, else why would you side with China?! :)

Ralph | 13 years ago | Reply @Saad: I think you are all not aware of the OVERALL costs of nuclear usage like risks, nuclear purchase and disposal after useage. Costs does not end with the building!

Saad | 13 years ago | Reply @Ralph: renewable is very expensive, Hydro can be focused on more and the country has more potentail in that, particularly in the north.

Amer | 13 years ago | Reply Excellent project! Everyone can be very proud of this project regardless of what the pessimists on these comments say!

Ralph | 13 years ago | Reply I agree that a base load is required and there are already power plants of different kinds in place. But planning new nuclear power plants is suspect. Pakistan and other countries have to replace nuclear and furnice oil power plants next 10 to 15 years anyway. So why not start with e.g. wind power which does not depend on other countries, nuclear and furnice oil prices. BTW, the overall costs of a wind power plant is cheaper, quicker built and if built in differnent places around the country it delivers continued power to the grids.

wahwah khan | 13 years ago | Reply I am proud of my fast friend Engr. Iftikhar Mohammad for contributing his expertise in this project. May God give you the strength to contribute more...cheers

D. Powers | 13 years ago | Reply @Ralph: Come, spend a few weeks in Lahore in summer and brave 12-16 hours load shedding at a temperature of 40-45 Celsius . Then we shall discuss renewable and nuclear energy power plants.

v9s | 13 years ago | Reply Good! We need more nuclear power plants. @Ralph: We've got many renewable energy projects going forward; Dams, solar power and wind power projects. I'd rather have nuclear power in this country than renewable power. Renewable power is unreliable and wastes a lot of resources to get a small amount of electricity. Yes costs of nuclear power is high initially, but it's cost competitive in the long run. Most importantly, it can provide a continuous electric supply throughout the year, unlike renewable power sources. Renewable power is for countries who already have an adequate supply of electricity, not for energy starved countries like Pakistan.

Hissam Amir Khan | 13 years ago | Reply Nuclear Power Plants are dangerous but look at the situation of our country. We desperately need to solve this Power Crises. The thing about renewable or alternate energy is that, though its safe and environment friendly, its also very costly. We barely manage our few dams how do you suppose we are going to manage 100s or 1000s of wind mills or solar panels. Though a good step, its still a very small step, just 330MW. Like a glass of water in the ocean, if not a drop. A question is why are the world's nuclear power plants located in fault line areas???

tungalahore | 13 years ago | Reply hail china hail china!!!the US will fall CHINA will rise!!!and the good thing is that we are on the side of the mighty dragon!!so indians better savee your ass!!!!

Opps | 13 years ago | Reply Who has the problem with Nuclear Power Plant ? Why ? If someone has problem come to our country and made his interested Power Plant.

Lobster | 13 years ago | Reply As long as IAEA safety endorsements are there, it is welcome development. Renewable energy is (still) very costly, instead hydro power generation should be focused.

a ercelan | 13 years ago | Reply condemnable decision. adding injury to insult is the plan for addnl reactors. china can hardly be called a friend of the pakistani people.

TightDhoti | 13 years ago | Reply I hope they realise that Chashma is located on a major fault line. Perhaps they would care to share what precautionary measures they have taken,

Saman | 13 years ago | Reply So ummm....45 minutes of load shedding instead of One hour....and ummm YaY??

Ralph | 13 years ago | Reply Most countries are looking for getting rid of nuclear power plants and force renewable energy. Unfortunately Pakistan is again on the wrong way. No one is talking about renewable energy or did I missed something.

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