Pak to construct two nuclear power plants with Chinese help

Rezaul H Laskar

Islamabad, Apr 13 (PTI) 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 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. PTI