18 April 2004	Sunday	27 Safar 1425

ISLAMABAD, April 17: The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) has decided to increase the local production of mechanical equipment and sophisticated components and parts required for the upcoming nuclear power plants , including Chasma Power Plant-II.

Sources said here that the government had initially agreed to provide Rs462 million for the "Infrastructure Facility for Support & Research and Development Activities in Designs & Manufacture of Mechanical Equipment Project" to be formally approved by the

Planning Commission anytime soon.

The main objective of the project is to provide design and development facilities of fabrication-based mechanical equipment for the "classified projects of the PAEC and strategic projects of the country."

According to an official estimate and assessment of the Chinese supplier of the Chasma-2 project, the PAEC would be able to design and produce more than 200 equipment with the existing facilities. The project shall substantially increase indegenization as a result.

The project shall be located within the premises of the Nuclear Equipment Workshop Project-3 (NEW-3) in Taxila, Rawalpindi district.

The PAEC informed the Planning Commission that currently there was no organization that could carry out similar jobs of the needed size, precision and quality of standards and confidentiality as the NEW-3. However, some work is being carried out in Pakistan Welding Institute of the PAEC.

The Nuclear Equipment Workshop is already making contributions to the PAEC programmes.

It has designed, produced and supplied mechanical equipment and parts, which were not importable in the country due to embargoes, bans and sanctions on Kanupp, KRL, Suparco, and NDC.

The project shall increase the indigenous share in the supply of mechanical equipment and parts for the national projects such as C-2, C4-1, KCI, etc.

"Restrictions on the supply of equipment and machinery for our national objectives justify granting of top priority to the project so as to march fast on the road leading to indigenization and local manufacturing in all areas," the PAEC informed the Planning Commission.

"The project will result in facilitating more working area, handling and testing facilities, design activities through computerized systems and shall result in more production for the classified projects.

"As such unit cost for these manufacturing activities for a larger variety of products cannot be given," the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission said.

The project requires no additional manpower as NEW-3 Project already has sufficient administrative and managerial staff, skills and unskilled labour, the PAEC maintained.