Pakistan and China have agreed to build a second nuclear power plant at Chashma. The new plant, with a capacity of 300 megawatt, will fill in the slot already provided for in the master plan for the Chashma nuclear power project.
It will be located about 0 km from Chashma Barrage on the left bank of River Indus south of Mianwali.
On completion it will be the third nuclear power plant in Pakistan.
The contract for the new Chashma project was signed by Pervez Butt, Chairman of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, and Kang Ri Xin, President of Chinese National Nuclear Corporation, at Prime Minister House here on Tuesday.
It was witnessed by Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali and the visiting Chinese delegation was led by Zhang Hua Zhu, Vice Minister of Chinese Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (COSTIND) and Chairman of the Chinese Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA).
The contract reflects the undeterred commitment of Beijing to the economic well-being of the people of Pakistan. Officials described the signing of the project as "yet another landmark and an important milestone in the historical relations between Pakistan and China".
Officials of PAEC said that, like the Kanupp and Chashma One, the new project would also be under the safeguards of International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA) which monitors such plants internationally and helps in providing safety procedures.
Pakistan, they recalled, is a signatory to the International Convention on Nuclear Safety and hence Chashma-II would be operated consistent with that convention.
In a statement issued later, the PAEC outlined the continually increasing energy of the country and listed the history of negotiations for the projects.
It said: "Pakistan's first nuclear power plant at Karachi, Kanupp, has been generating electricity safely and reliably for more than three decades. This is a significant achievement, considering that the supplier country withdrew technical support as early as 1976. Recently, thorough overhaul, up-gradation and refurbishment activities have been carried out at Kanupp, resulting in the successful restart and extension of its design life by about 15 years. The IAEA provided safety-related assistance in this re-licensing activity."
The statement said that the new contract for the second unit was a realisation of the original plan - the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant (Chashnupp).
Its site was meant for multi-units as during the construction of C-1, provision was made to accommodate C-2 as well.
"The completion of C-2 will result in a more economical sharing of infrastructure and other facilities", the statement added.
In the design and installation of C-2, PAEC will have available with it the operating experience of C-1.
The design and manufacture of various components of the new plant will be reflective of the latest codes and standards and the technical improvements made in the last decade.
PAEC has now developed an infrastructure of well-equipped workshops for inspection and fabrication of components and equipment for conventional as well as nuclear power plants. With this infrastructure, PAEC will be able to enhance local contribution in C-2.
Pakistan is a member of international organisations like the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Candu Owners Group (COG), World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) and the World Nuclear Association (WNA), and shares safety and operating experience closely with the outside world.
It is worth mentioning that Pakistan's nuclear power plants are under the safeguards of IAEA, which is the international agency responsible for monitoring and safeguarding of nuclear power plants. Pakistan is also a party to the Convention on Nuclear Safety; as such C-2 will be operated consistent with the provisions of this Convention.
The contract signed on Tuesday is a culmination of the pre-project studies of technical and economical feasibility of the project and subsequent approval by Ecnec.
The design of C-2 will be similar to C-1. However, improvements based on operations feedback from C-1 and enhanced safety features will be incorporated.
With construction and operating experience of C-1 and the experience to be gained through design, construction, installation and commissioning of C-2, Pakistan can look forward to achieving a high degree of self-reliance in nuclear power technology.
Construction of C-2 will increase economic activity, employment opportunities for thousands of engineers and scientists, skilled and semi-skilled workers at the plant site itself and the associated upstream industry located all over Pakistan.
It will also help in the expansion of industrial capability, enhancement of energy security, electricity price stability, firm generation capacity in low hydel generation periods, and reduced emission of atmospheric pollutants.
An MoU for C-2 was signed on March 24, 2003, at Beijing between CNNC and PAEC. Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali and Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao had witnessed that ceremony. During President Musharraf's visit to China in November 2003, the Presidents of China and Pakistan had resolved to enhance technical co-operation between the two countries in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy for greater peace and prosperity in the world.
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