Increasing reliance: More civil nuclear plants to be built

Gilani says nuclear power vital to reduce energy deficit.

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Monday said that more civil nuclear plants would be built to address the severe energy deficit.

Addressing participants of the International Nathiagali Summer College on Physics and Contemporary Needs, Gilani said the country required more electrical energy and may have to rely on more nuclear plants in the future to meet energy demand.

He said building and operating nuclear power plants was vital to the country’s interest due to the severe energy deficiency. The PM recalled inaugurating C-2, the second unit at Chashma nuclear power complex, which increased production of electricity to 625 megawatts from nuclear sources.

Gilani said the future of countries today is determined by their economic competitiveness and stressed the need for understanding and appreciating the implications of competition in the global market-driven economy.

According to him, keeping in mind the pivotal role science plays, the government had allocated appropriate funds for the development of trained and qualified human resource personnel. He said support would be provided for establishing research laboratories in order to provide employment.

The government was fully supportive of such activities and was looking to collaborate with the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, for innovative research resulting in major scientific breakthroughs, he claimed.

Gilani appreciated the efforts of the country’s scientists in the field of agriculture, biotechnology, industry and health, stressing the need for using science as an intellectual pursuit to general progress. Industrial nations must actively assist the less-developed nations in this regard, he added.







Published in The Express Tribune, June 28^th, 2011.