Concrete pouring ceremony of nuclear power plant Chashma-5 to be held today

The first concrete pouring ceremony of Chashma Nuclear Power Plant Unit-5 (C-5) is being held today, and Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal will be the chief guest at the ceremony, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Monday. 

The construction of this nuclear power plant is a testament to the enduring friendship between Pakistan and China.

The concrete pouring ceremony of the nuclear power plant marks the formal commencement of its construction.

The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) finalised the holding of this important ceremony after the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA) issued a license, which will formally commence the construction of this plant.

Like all six nuclear power plants operating in the country, Chashma-5 is also being built with the help of friendly country China.

The Chashma Nuclear Power Generating Station (CNPGS) site already consists of four nuclear power plants, namely C-1 and C-2, which have a generating capacity of 325 MW, in addition to C-3 and C-4 of 340 MW.

Upon completion, the nuclear power plant C-5 will be the largest power plant in the country with a generating capacity of 1200 MW.

While the Karachi Nuclear Power Generating Station (KNPGS) site consists of two nuclear power plants, namely K-2 and K-3, each with a generating capacity of 1100 MW.

The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission operates six nuclear power plants in the country with a total generating capacity of 3,530 MW.

It is worth mentioning here that the foundation stone of the C-5 nuclear power plant was laid by the Prime Minister of Pakistan on July 14, 2023.

Nuclear power plants are extremely safe due to strong active and passive safety mechanisms, reliable in terms of ensuring energy security and year-round availability, viable due to low cost per unit of electricity, and environmentally friendly in terms of no carbon emissions.

Reporter: Muhammad Awais