The writer has taught at the National Defence University
Thirty-nine years ago, I was born in Karachi, when it was known as the ‘City of Lights’ for its growing industry and immense career opportunities. Today, it has blossomed into the largest megalopolis in the Muslim world, but its life is marred by frequent power breakdowns, industrial exodus and flight of capital. Whatever political wisdom, capabilities and resources are available to our government, it has but few options to turn it around. Its policies and priorities regarding political and security issues can be debated and questioned. However, there can be no two opinions that the economic engine of Pakistan, that the city of the Quaid-e-Azam, can be revitalised without the provision of safe, secure, regular and environmentally-friendly energy supply and we must consider and employ all available and safe options, including nuclear energy in this respect.
Pakistan is constructing two new reactors near Karachi. This has generated an interesting debate and raised some important issues that merit an informed, comprehensive and technically sound perspective to ensure that a project of vital public interest for energy security, industrial development and economic progress remains uncontroversial and beyond politics.
No technology, machine or industry is totally immune from accidents but it is important to assess how frequent these accidents are, how many people are affected by them and whether these accidents lead to improvements in safety, design and performance. Currently, there are over 15,000 commercial airliners flying around the world. The world has seen hundreds of air accidents in the last century, including 12 deadly ones during this year alone. Consequently, the world has not stopped flying, rather we continuously improve aviation designs, habits and practices. That is exactly what the nuclear industry has also done and continues to do.
Major accidents, such as Fukushima, Three Mile Island and Chernobyl, have been important learning experiences for the global nuclear industry. These three major accidents have led to improvements in design, safety procedures and operational culture, leading to sustained and even enhanced confidence in safe nuclear reactor operations for power generation. The design of Karachi’s future reactors is also an improvement on many operational or under-construction reactors. Today, nuclear power capacity worldwide is increasing steadily, with over 430 reactors in operation in 31 countries.
As far as the environmental concerns regarding nuclear waste are concerned, Pakistan has an effective Nuclear Regulatory Authority, whose website is a useful source on international best practices and safety. In addition to that, no incident or accident harmful to the environment or ecology of Karachi has ever been reported by any international watchdog. Karachi’s lone nuclear power plant has been in operation for over four decades now and the new reactors are being set up at the same site, which has not posed any risk to life and environment, with no fatality due to radiation ever reported. This record suggests that Karachi would greatly benefit from the new power reactors.
In short, Pakistan is blessed with immense natural and human resources and in order to pursue our collective goal of progress and prosperity, let us utilise both. Our national development depends upon energy security for which all our talents, resources and expertise must be tapped and all viable, cost-effective and environmentally sound options — including nuclear technology — considered. During numerous episodes of international economic embargo and diplomatic isolation, nuclear technology and our capable scientists have helped Pakistan cope with monumental challenges to our survival with confidence. So let us shed pessimism and politics, and repose our trust in our most valuable national asset, human capital, in its ability to contribute towards bringing progress and prosperity to our nation and also bring life, business and hope back to the city of our great founder, by restoring the ‘City of Lights’, not just for ourselves but also for our future generations.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 7th, 2014.
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COMMENTS (17)
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ETBLOGS1987
@x: thank you. Appreciate your kind words.
@gp65: You should comment more often. your comments are always extremely enlightening.
Karachi will be back again in lights with the help of intelligent nuclear scientists and engineers of PAEC. Nuclear energy is safe, less hazardous to the environment and affordable as compared to other energy resources. Pakistan is consuming 1 billion dollars for 1000MW, as compared to this nuclear energy is affordable not a further burden on Pakistan's economy and effective.
@Mobeen: You are confusing safety of 'nuclear assets' i.e. keeping them out of hands of terrorists from safety of nuclear reactor from accidents that can harm their own populations. Countries such as USA, Japan and Russia have not escaped from such accidents.
Secondly, who will assume liability if an accident occurs of this untested reactor from China? The reason India has not yet bought any nuclear reactors from US though the nuclear deal was signed in 2008 is because its companies are unwilling to sign contracts that assign any liability to them. HAs your government discussed this issue with the Chinese?
Thirdly Karachi is the third most densely populated city after Dhaka and Mumbai. In fact 6 times as dense as NYC - even if the government does want to invest in nuclear technology - is a location near KArachi where 20 million people live the most appropriate one given the less than stellar record on uclear safety throughout the world?
Forget about the lights.
Bring back security first.
"...In addition to that, no incident or accident harmful to the environment or ecology of Karachi has ever been reported by any international watchdog. Karachi’s lone nuclear power plant has been in operation for over four decades now and the new reactors are being set up at the same site, which has not posed any risk to life and environment, with no fatality due to radiation ever reported." This is flawed logic. That's like saying I've never been sick in the past so I won't ever get sick in the future. In reality, past performance is no guarantee of anything in the future. An accident could occur tomorrow. In fact KANUPP experienced a heavy water leak in 2011 which was reported in the media.
One has to be prepared for the risk of accidents at nuclear reactors. The risk here is the proximity to the city of Karachi. Most of Karachi lies within 30km of KANUPP. After the Chernobyl accident area within 30km of the reactor was rendered uninhabitable for the next 20,000 years. How will we replace Karachi if a similar accident happened here.
Mercifully, despite hostile comments in some sections of the foreign media, the International Atomic Energy Agency has expressed its satisfaction over Pakistan’s nuclear safety standards, while American officials too have from time to time conceded that there is little possibility of Pakistan’s nuclear assets falling into the wrong hands.
As on a number of other issues, Pakistan’s case for civilian nuclear technology, too, has often gone unheard. With the conventional sources for energy generation limited, Pakistan has little choice but to rely increasingly on nuclear energy for meeting the power needs of its growing population.
There is no concrete evidence or framework to oppose the power plants developments in Karachi. The ultimate reality which stands in front of us is this that our country is suffering from grave energy crisis which affect the whole lot from top to the bottom. With the oppositions, a feasible alternative must be offered. This seems to be a clear picture of propaganda building as nothing substantial has been come up. Energy needs are there and Government takes a wise viable decision to get through with increased energy needs.
From couple of years, Pakistan is confronting with severe energy outrage and this ultimately suffers its economy at large. However, there have lots of efforts been put forward to get through with this massive shortage. The nuclear energy can play an influential role in sorting down this alarming energy situation. Energy makes the industries to suffer which give rise to unemployment. Besides the economic aspects, people really suffered at the hand of energy deficit. Pakistan has opted an energy option which can very adequately fulfill the increased energy needs. Karachi is a major economic hub of the country and its energy needs are not negligible. These power plants developments certainly bring prosperity for for Karachi and Pakistan at large.
Pakistan has no choice but to depend on China to meet its chronic power shortage. Its deal with Iran for supplying gas was stymied by USA's opposition to any trade with Iran. Also USA, which made a very generous nuclear deal with India, refused one with Pakistan. If Pakistan wants to grow its economy, it’s going to need stable base-load generation to supply industry; to get people to reinvest in industry, and in that, nuclear does make sense.
I think the core argument presented by the author is rational, logical and solution oriented. Author has not suggested the government to stick only to the nuclear energy but he has built a convincing case that along with utilizing the other sources of energy production, the nuclear energy, which is safe, secure, cost effective and long term solution to our energy needs must also be pursued. The unnecessary, illogical and irrational criticism motivated by the political rhetoric and cognitive interest must not allowed to hinder the efforts towards a sustainable energy solution for Pakistan.
people of Pakistan must understand the need of time and appreciate the government's step towards making its people to overcome energy shortfall. In the near future this shortfall will increase due to rising population of Pakistan and also unavailability of proper resources which can ful fill the need of people. For that prpose government's decision of constructing nuclear power plants is wisely and also timely taken. As long as the safety and security of nuclear power plants is concernes then it is a world wide fact that Pakistan's nuclear program is being the operated under the supervision of national command authority establishment and is commisiioned by the Pakistan's atomic energy commission.
On one hand government polices have criticized by the people for not taking energy shortfall seriously, on the other hand the same handful crowed is criticizing government for the installation of Nuclear power plants. These plants are totally for civilian purposes and major step for the reduction of power shortage. I think criticism over nuclear installation lacks the core arguments so unjustifiable.
Very good articulated one .The safety measures adopted at Pakistan’s nuclear facilities are up to the international standards. However, the PAEC and PNRA have always been vigilant to safety and security of nuclear facilities. The Nuclear Security Action Plan (NSAP) drawn up by Pakistan’s nuclear establishment have been highly appreciated by the IAEA and termed it as a model for other nations. Secoundly, Pakistan is energy deficient country and Nuclear is a solution to over come "Pakistan Energy Crisis".
It is not that minor nuclear accidents do not occur they do not get reported due to a great deal of security around the reactors. I recall, way back in India, apparently some poor human beings were deployed to clean up some nuclear mess; indeed those individuals were sacrificed. What is worrisome is the "jugarh" culture of the subcontinent that permeates so many spheres of society.
Countercharge by the NDU brigade.