Pak to construct two nuclear power plants with Chinese help

Pakistan has given a go ahead for construction of two more nuclear power plants of 340 MW each with the Chinese help at the Chashma complex at a cost of USD 2.37 billion, a media report said on Monday.

The two plants, to be supplied by China, will involve a foreign exchange component of USD 1.75 billion, the Business Recorder newspaper quoted its sources as saying.

The government has approved the proposal, but it was not made part of the formal agenda of a recent meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council and was distributed among members of the panel and provincial officials at the end of the meeting without necessary details, the sources were quoted as saying.

"Please do not seek any details and clarification about the project. Approve it in the national interest," one official reportedly told the committee's meeting.

China had agreed in principle to provide two nuclear power plants to help meet Pakistan's growing electricity needs and was about to sign an agreement during a visit by the Chinese president to Islamabad.

However, China shelved the project after the issue was reported in the media, arguing that it would not indulge in any controversy, sources said.

A fresh endeavour was made to streamline negotiations to acquire the nuclear plants when Pakistan's Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee chairman visited Beijing some years ago.

Earlier, Pakistan was expecting nuclear power plants with a total generating capacity of 1,000 MW and indigenous fabrication of nuclear plants with a capacity of 300 MW with Chinese assistance.

However, the capacity has now been reduced. The Central Development Working Party headed by former Planning Commission deputy chairman Akram Sheikh has approved the setting up of Nuclear Fuel Enrichment Plant at a cost of Rs 13.7 billion, including a foreign exchange component of Rs 8.13 billion.

However, it remains unclear how Pakistan and China will get approval for the move from the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

Islamabad has been pressing the world community to forge a civil nuclear cooperation regime similar to the one extended to India so that it can gain access to nuclear technology and materials.

The Chashma site already has two power plants built with Chinese help. The first nuclear reactor now generates 300 MW and the second one is currently being completed.

Pakistan plans to increase the share of nuclear power from one per cent to 5.4 per cent by establishing atomic plants capable of generating 8,800 MW by 2030.