KARACHI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has inaugurated K-3, the third unitof the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP), which will produce 1,100MW,taking the share of nuclear power in the energy mix of Pakistan to exceed10 per cent.
Setting up new nuclear power plants is extremely essential to keep pacewith the nuclear technology. Having the generation factor of over 90 percent, the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) plans to increasenuclear power generation to 8,800MW by 2030, and to 40,000MW by 2050.
A contract for the development of the 1,200MW unit of Chashma Nuclear PowerPlant (C-5) had already been signed with the China National NuclearCorporation (CNNC). The project is waiting for the government’s sovereignguarantee for financial closure.
PAEC is a federally-funded independent governmental agency, entrusted withthe research and development of nuclear power, promotion of nuclearscience, energy conservation and the peaceful usage of nuclear technology.Advertisement
The share of nuclear power in the national energy mix has grown at a sharppace in recent years. With a share of 27.1 per cent, it was the largestcontributor to the energy pie in December 2022.
In terms of the fuel cost alone, nuclear was the cheapest source of energyin December 2022 with an average of only Rs1.10/kWh against Rs11.50 forcoal and Rs10.50 for the local gas.
The use of nuclear technology for power generation has been recognised asinevitable for GHG mitigation in Pak-INDC (Intended Nationally DeterminedContribution) as envisioned in the National Climate Change Policy 2012.
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Currently, six nuclear power plants are operational in the country. Thefirst nuclear power plant, known as KANUPP-1, started generating 137MW wayback in 1971. It was decommissioned in 2021 after a 50-year run.
Meanwhile, the PAEC set up has been running four nuclear power units basedon Chinese technology near Chashma, Punjab. With a nameplate capacity of325MW each, C-1 and C-2 started operations in 2000 and 2011, respectively.The C-3 and C-4 became operational in 2016 and 2017, respectively, and havea gross capacity of 340MW each.
PAEC also established the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant Unit-2 and Unit-3 atParadise Point beach off Karachi. The two units have a nameplate capacityof 1,100MW each. The K-2 and K-3 started generating electricity in 2021 and2022, respectively.Advertisement
These six nuclear plants have a combined installed capacity of 3,530MW,constituting a share of 8.1 per cent in the country’s total installed powergeneration capacity.