CHASHMA (Mianwali), Dec 18: President Pervez Musharraf said here on Tuesday that Pakistan was a respected nuclear state with excellent safety and security standards at all nuclear power plants.

“Pakistan’s nuclear safety regulatory infrastructure is effective, functional and respected by the world bodies,” the president said after performing the Containment Dome Placement ceremony at the Chashma Nuclear Plant-2.

The president, who is also Chairman of the National Command Authority, said that the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission and the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA) should work jointly to achieve the ‘cherished goal’.

He said it was gratifying to note that excellent safety and security standards were being maintained at the KANUPP and CHASNUPP-I power plants.

The 325-megawatt capacity Chashma-2 plant, being built in collaboration with China, is likely to be completed by the end of 2010, ahead of schedule.

The president said that the government had chalked out a comprehensive plan to expand power generation to meet the demands of rapidly growing economy.

The president thanked the People’s Republic of China for its collaboration and technical assistance in various development projects, including nuclear power generation.

Vice-President of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) Yu Jian Feng, who attended the ceremony, said the Dome Placement would mark the transfer of the project from civil works stage to full swing equipment installation.

He said that in view of the excellent cooperation between the CNNC and PAEC, the Chashma-II power plant would emerge as another befitting example of friendship between the two countries.—APP