KARACHI: Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Muhammad Naeem on Monday said the 1,100-megawatt (MW) Karachi Nuclear Power Complex-II (KANUPP-2) will commence operations in December 2020 and KANNUPP-3 in October 2021.
While speaking at a seminar organized by the Centre for Peace, Security and Development Studies (CPSD) on Monday, Mr Naeem stated once the 100MW Chashma-5 is completed, Pakistan intends to generate 8,800MW nuclear energy by 2030, reports The News.
PAEC chairman told that both the plants had a workable life of sixty-years, which could be elongated to eighty-years.
He added, “Nuclear power plants are reliable having high availability and capacity factor, relatively environmentally friendly, and provide sustainability of electricity price having a low share of fuel cost.”
Currently, the share of nuclear energy in Pakistan’s energy mix is 6% and generating power at an average cost of Rs9.13 per kilowatt hour.
At present, there are around 454 nuclear power plants being operated across 30 countries globally and have an 11% share of the total world electricity generation, whilst 54 plants in 17 countries are being built.
Chairman, Alternate Energy Development Board (AEDB) Amjad Ali Awan stated the country still didn’t possess any energy security policy, whilst the economy was a prisoner to shortages.
He emphasized it was important to phase out imports and give preference to indigenous resources considering 24% of the country’s overall imports are related to energy.
Mr Awan said Pakistan was blessed with renewable energy sources, including solar and wind should be exploited.
The AEDB chairman said solar and wind energy has the cheapest tariff in Pakistan and renewables should be meshed with conventional resources to formulate a sustainable mix.
Ex-energy minister Sohail Wajahat stated in the last seven decades, policies had been formulated on an ad-hoc basis which had landed Pakistan in such an entanglement.
He emphasized an integrated energy policy was immediately required for a duration of five years without any reversal.
