Pakistan has started loading fuel to the under constructed 1,100MW nuclearpower plant in Karachi for testing in run-up to its commercial operationsin April 2021.

As per details, fuel loading for the newly built Karachi Nuclear PowerPlant Unit-2 (K-2) was started on Tuesday after obtaining fuel load permitfrom the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority.

Speaking in ARY News program Bakhabar Savera, energy expert Arshad Abbasisaid that the construction of Karachi Nuclear Power Plant Unit-2 (K-2) is agift to the people of Karachi as it will resolve the power crisis in theport city.



K-2 is one of the two 1,100MW nuclear power plants being constructed inKarachi. The other plant, K-3, is expected to become operational by the endof 2021. The completion of these nuclear power plants has remained largelyon schedule despite the difficult times due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The nuclear power plant K-2 is a pressurized water reactor PWR, athird-generation nuclear power plant equipped with advanced automaticsafety systems powered by Chinese HPR-1000 technology.

The construction of K-2 plant started on August 31, 2015, and itscommercial operation will begin in April 2021 after undergoing severaloperational and safety tests.

The fuel loading was witnessed by the Director General of the StrategicPlan Division Lt Gen Nadeem Zaki Manj, PAEC Chairman Mohammad Naeem andsenior Chinese and Pakistani officials.