ISLAMABAD, Nov 10: Karachi Nuclear Power Plant will become operational from January next year after indigenous renovation and replacement work is completed, said Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) chairman Engineer Pervez Butt, here on Monday.

Speaking at a convention of scientists organized by the ministry of science and technology on the occasion of the World Science Day at National Library, Mr Butt said Karachi Nuclear Power Plant was closed down on Dec 6, 2002.

“Knupp was constructed 30 years ago and we shut it down because according to our assessment it had reached its design life,” said Mr Butt.

“The last eight months we spent in completely overhauling this plant. Everything was done indigenously. The engineers and scientists focused on upgradation, renovation and replacement of instruments and it is now ready to operate.”

Talking about safety of the renovated power plant which has already outlived its 30 year design life, the PAEC chairman said: “It is as safe as any other nuclear power plant. It is safer than travelling on the roads in Pakistan. The chances of someone meeting an accident on the roads in Pakistan are much more than at the Kanupp or the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant.”

The PAEC chief said Pakistan would achieve the capability to indigenously manufacture nuclear power plants as soon as the basic industrial base is put in place. To set up nuclear power plants, a lot more industrial infrastructure is needed than we already have, he said, adding, “once the basic manufacturing units are in place we will be able to manufacture nuclear power plants.”

Discussing progress made in different fields, he said on a recent visit to Vehari, he met a farmer who had grown a heat-resistant variety of cotton with the help of scientists on 350 acres of land.

Emphasizing the need for allocation of funds for scientific research, the PAEC chief said PINSTECH was working with budgetary constraints. The budget was just enough to pay the salaries and not for any research and development activities.