Rs37b may be allocated for nuclear power plants
The government is likely to allocate Rs36.91 billion to nuclear power in next financial year 2012-13 in an effort to start work on several new plants in the country.
According to sources, a plan in this connection will be tabled before the Annual Plan Coordination Committee (APCC), which is expected to meet on May 10.
The government has also planned to purchase two nuclear power plants with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts each from China, which will be utilised for setting up Karachi Nuclear Power Plant-II (Kanupp-II) and Kanupp-III and help mitigate energy crisis.
In this regard, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission and China National Nuclear Corporation will undertake a joint study to finalise design modifications for the two plants.
“An amount of Rs790 million is likely to be set aside for feasibility and design study of the two power plants in the next financial year,” a government official said. After completion of this exercise, a contract for establishing Kanupp-II and Kanupp-II would be negotiated with China, he said.
Besides these plants, six more nuclear power plants will be set up for which Rs35.5 million has been sought for conducting surveys and feasibility studies.
The government also wants to set up 300MW and 1,000MW nuclear power plants in Karachi and Rs100 million has been sought for site development and plant installation.
Chashma Nuclear Power Project-III and IV, being set up by China, will likely receive Rs31.56 billion while total cost of the two projects has been estimated at Rs189.99 billion. Expenditure on these is expected to reach Rs62.34 billion by the end of June this year.
Two new schemes will be launched for Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission including “Long-term operation of Kanupp” costing Rs868.19 million and “Nuclear fuel enrichment plant” worth Rs14.24 billion. For the first scheme, Rs252 million may be allocated while Rs500 million may be earmarked for the latter in 2012-13.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 9th, 2012.
COMMENTS (5)
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Gud news indeed, we r trying to keep pace with technological world
"May Be.." is there any thing certain in this news post ?? Every sentence is starting from "May be .."...
Good development.....nuke for constructive work
@Sayyed Mehdi, But world dont wanna help us to comes out of this problems they dont want us to buy gas from iran they dont give us technically to explore Thar coal then what left Mr Mehdi ??? let me tell u sir wind and solar power is just a myth like electric cars .....
The world has been running away from nuclear powers after Chernobyl and Fukushima. I just hope we're not risking a nuclear disaster in return for electricity here.