ISLAMABAD, Feb 27: China has, in principle, agreed to offer two more nuclear power plants worth about $1.2 billion to help meet Pakistan’s growing electricity requirements.

A senior official told Dawn on Monday that President Gen Pervez Musharraf had been assured during his recent visit to Beijing that China will continue to cooperate with Pakistan for building “some more nuclear power plants”.

The Chinese leadership, he pointed out, believed that Pakistan’s “genuine energy needs” should be fulfilled and that it (China) would not succumb to any pressure being exerted by the West or the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Groups (NSG) over the issue.

China had become the member of NSG last year. The 45-member NSG is comprised of nuclear supplier countries who seek to contribute to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons through the implementation of guidelines they set for nuclear exports and nuclear related exports.

“Initially China is expected to provide us two more nuclear plants of 325-MW each preferably in 2006. Later, we may get some more power plants from China if the US and west continue to hesitate in this behalf”, the official said.

Pakistan, he said, wanted to ensure its essential energy security for which it was actively seeking the support of the United States and couple of other western countries including France.

The issue, he said, would be taken up with President George W. Bush when he visits Pakistan on March 3.

Pakistan, the official said, would urge President Bush allow the American investors to set up nuclear power plants in the “designated nuclear power parks” of the country alone or with the help of the local investors. These parks will operate under full safeguards of IAEA and any other international body.

He said that China understood that Pakistan needed 8800-MW of electricity by 2030 for which it was pursuing a peaceful nuclear development programme. China had earlier provided two nuclear power plants - Chashma I and II, each capable of generating 300-MW.

“We cannot ignore our pressing power needs and we must build nuclear power plants for our economic development”, another official said, referring to Chashma-I. “And as such we are the right kind of candidate for more nuclear power plants”, he added.

According to the official, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) supported Pakistan to meet its growing power shortages through the peaceful application of nuclear power.

“If we do not generate carbon-dioxide, it would be in the advantage of the whole world”, he said.

The United States, sources said, was considerate to Pakistan’s desire for civilian nuclear cooperation but wants it to satisfy the world’s proliferation concerns first.

The US government has been insisting that Islamabad should project its case by taking into account the proliferation concerns of the West.

The IAEA officials, sources said, agreed with Pakistan that now when the United States has decided to help India to produce 40,000-MW of nuclear energy by 2040, Washington should also support Pakistan’s longer term Energy Security Plan for producing 8800-MW of energy.