ISLAMABAD – Pakistan has described the support it has received from theInternational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in strengthening its nuclearpower programme through a project launched in 2018.
The country aims for a significant expansion of its use of nuclear powerover the coming decades in order to meet growing energy demand.
Regulators, operators and representatives of organisations involved inPakistan’s nuclear power programme attended a four-day meeting at theIAEA’s headquarters last month to discuss the Agency’s streamlined supportfor the country.
Pakistan commissioned its first commercial nuclear power unit – the 90 MWeKarachi 1 (KANUPP) Candu pressurised heavy water reactor – in 1972. FourChinese-built CNP-300 pressurised water reactors are also in operation atthe Chashma site, having been commissioned between 2000 and 2017.
Two Chinese-designed 1161 MWe HPR1000 units are being built at the Karachiplant.
Construction began on Karachi 2 in 2015 and unit 3 in 2016; the units areplanned to enter commercial operation in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Athird Hualong One unit is planned at Chashma. According to the IAEA,Pakistan plans to construct several new plants by 2050.
“Pakistan has benefited from the IAEA Safety Standards and other technicaldocuments, but there is always room for improvement,” said Ahmed Nadeem,manager of the technical coordination division of the Chashma nuclear powerplant.
“In order to further improve the safety, reliability and sustainability ofPakistan’s nuclear power plants, we decided to approach IAEA for acomprehensive and integrated national project.”
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A four-year technical cooperation project – “Strengthening and EnhancingCapabilities of Pakistan’s National Institutions to Support a Safe,Reliable and Sustainable Nuclear Power Programme”, referred to as PAK2007 -was launched in 2018. The IAEA amalgamated four of its pre-existingnational technical cooperation projects, which supported regulators,operators, waste managers and non-destructive testers.
“In doing so, the Agency is bringing together all the relevant stakeholdersof the Pakistani nuclear power programme to streamline their workflows,reduce delays and costs, enhance cooperation and harmonise their safety andwaste management approaches,” the IAEA said.
Since the launch of PAK2007, the IAEA has supported the country’s effortsto train specialist staff, expand physical infrastructure and increasenational nuclear power generating capacity by organising more than 45expert missions and national workshops.
At these workshops, regulators and operators reached a consensus on severaloperational matters, from the timeliness of licensing and verificationprocedures to the manner in which inspections are conducted.
The IAEA has also supported the procurement of essential communicationinfrastructure – such as internet-connecting devices and equipment for themaintenance of an industry-wide intranet – to allow for information to movemore seamlessly between government institutions, departments and agencies.
Anis Memon, a director of the Karachi nuclear power plant, said: “Therecommendations made as a result of these workshops and expert missionshave helped to improve the integration and coordination of our workflowsand decision-making processes.”
