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| August 21, 2005 | Sunday | Rajab 15, 1426 |
West to be asked to build 13 nuclear power plants
ISLAMABAD, Aug 20: Pakistan would shortly be proposing to the United States and the western countries to “build and own” 13 new nuclear power plants in order to help generate the much-needed 8400 MW of electricity in the next 25 years.
Informed sources told Dawn on Saturday that the authorities of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) had requested President Gen Pervez Musharraf to mitigate the concerns of the US and the western world about proliferation by ensuring that the new plants would work under “full safeguards” of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The government would ask the US and western countries to make investment in certain “designated zones and parks” by partly or fully owning the proposed 13 new nuclear power plants in the country.
While cooperation with China was going on for developing another 300 MW Chashma-2 power plant, the PAEC wanted such cooperation with some other countries by taking into confidence the US and western world, the sources said.
“We may propose to them (US and the west) to build these new nuclear power plants on the basis of full ownership or have a joint venture with us and the entire process would be carried out in consultation with the IAEA,” a source said.
He said the government had given a task to the PAEC to meet what he termed “an ambitious nuclear power programme” for next 25 years which will have to be undertaken soon.
The PAEC, the source said, “has been directed by the government to meet the power requirements of the industrial sector” on a priority basis.
Now that work on the 300 MW Chashma Nuclear Power Plant-2 has started, the PAEC authorities have been directed to accelerate their efforts to install 13 more nuclear power plants, both with the local and foreign financial and technical support. Each plant would have a capacity of roughly 600-700 MW, the sources said.
Chashma-2 will be completed in 2011 at a revised cost of $850 million for which Chinese were providing financial and technical support. Chashma-1 was also built with the Chinese assistance and was currently producing about 1400 MW of electricity by utilizing 95 per cent of its capacity. The capacity utilization, the sources said, was one of the highest in the world.
According to an earlier programme, the PAEC was to establish 13 new nuclear power plants, mostly through indigenous efforts, especially by having transfer of technology being received from China for the Chashma-2. The PAEC was expected to be self-sufficient in all aspects of designing, installation, construction and operations of the proposed nuclear power plants.
The sources said that in Chashma-1, over 36 per cent Pakistani components were used and now for Chashma-2, roughly 50 per cent Pakistani components will be used as per broad understanding reached with the Chinese governments and its consultants.
Since the government wanted to maintain 7-8 per cent GDP growth rate in the next few years, it was not possible for Wapda, the KESC and the Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to meet electricity requirements of the industry.
That was why, the sources said, the government tasked the PAEC to generate additional 8400 MW of nuclear power. “Nuclear power is a reliable mix and can help the nation both in times of war and peace,” a source said, adding that countries like Pakistan needed nuclear power plants which brought with them hi-tech for downstream industry.
Pakistan was in touch with several international loan-giving agencies to line up credit for Islamabad’s additional 13 power plants, the sources added.
President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz have directed the finance division to help the PAEC secure soft-term loan for its additional 13 nuclear power plants.
Pakistan had earlier assured the United States about peaceful use of nuclear energy. “The Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority has been in touch with the United States’ Nuclear Regulatory Authority about the setting up of the Chashma-2 nuclear power plant and many other new plants,” a source said.
The Chashma-1 was completed in 1999. The Chashma-2 envisages installation of a Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) with a gross capacity of 325 MW and net capacity of 300 MW. It comprises a nuclear steam supply system, a turbine generator set and auxiliary equipment, including electrical, mechanical and civil works.
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