The government is contemplating installing two new Nuclear Power Plants C-3 and C-4 at Chashma Nuclear Power Project at a total cost of Rs 3.103 billion, including Rs 1.62 billion foreign exchange component and Rs 1.49 billion local component. The objective of the projects is to better cope with electricity demand for industrial, agricultural, commercial as well as domestic consumers for the next 10 years.
According to documents available with Business Recorder electricity demand is expected to grow by 7.74 % per annum during 2009-19. To cope with growth in demand, additional capacity would be required annually. The interest rate of 15% for local and 12% for foreign exchange component has been applied for IDC/amortisation purposes. The project's useful economic life has been assumed at 40 years. The installed capacity of C-3 and C-4 nuclear power plants would be 680MW. The Plant C-3 is expected to be commissioned in December 2015 and C-4 in October 2016.
For this purpose, National Transmission and Dispatch Company Ltd (NTDC) submitted PC-I of Interconnection of C3 & C-4 Nuclear Power Plants project to the Planning Commission for approval. These interconnection schemes have been proposed for the dispersal of 630MW power in a reliable manner from C-3 & C-4 Nuclear Power Plants to the National Grid under normal and N-1 contingency conditions.
The scope of work of the schemes is dispersal of power from C-3, a 220 kV D/C transmission line , approx 2 KM long on twin bundled Rail conductor for looping in and out of one circuit of existing C-1 and C-2 - Ludewala 220 KV D/C at switchyard of C3/C4. Afterwards, for dispersal of power from C-4, a 220 KV D/C transmission line, approx. 125 Km long on twin bundled rail conductor from C3/C4 switchyard to Bannu is proposed. The existing installed capacity of the integrated system as of December 2011 is 21,036 MW. The installed capacity of hydroelectric power system is 6,516MW, thermal 4,829MW, IPPs 9,026MW and nuclear power system is 665MW.