Energy crisis: Islamabad enlarging its N-power programme

PAEC chairman says nuclear technology is being used in the field of medicine and oncology.

VIENNA/ ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan is planning to expand its nuclear power programme in an effort to overcome its crippling energy crisis, the head of the country’s atomic energy commission said on Thursday.

Addressing the 57th International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference in the Austrian capital, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) Chairman Dr Ansar Parvez said that overcoming the energy crisis is “an issue of the highest priority for our nation”.

“With our very limited accessible conventional energy sources, nuclear power has to form an integral part of our energy portfolio,” Dr Parvez said, underscoring the need to harness nuclear energy to meet the electricity crisis.

He pointed out areas where nuclear technology was being used in the country.



“In Pakistan, we are using nuclear technology in many areas that include cancer diagnosis and treatment, agriculture, food preservation, water management and industry, but more importantly, we are committed to harnessing nuclear energy for the generation of electrical power,” Dr Parvez said.

He said Pakistan had a long history of safe operation of nuclear power plants as its first nuclear power plant became operative 40 years ago.

Referring to the operating power plants in Pakistan such as KANUPP, C-1, C-2, he informed the conference that two more units, C-3 and C-4 were under construction and will be connected to the grid by 2016 – months ahead of the schedule.

Highlighting the progress made in the field of medicine, using nuclear technology, Dr Parvez said 18 nuclear medicine and oncology hospitals were operating throughout Pakistan.

“Some 70,000 patient visits have been recorded and 30,000 additional cancer patients have been registered so far,” he told the conference.

Talking about how the efforts being made to facilitate the less privileged, Dr Parvez said, “PAEC has also planned to expand its capabilities in the public sector to cater to the poor, by establishing small satellite centres that will bring basic cancer treatment facilities even closer to people living in smaller urban localities and rural areas.” 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 20^th, 2013.