Pakistan Will Generate 8,800 MW Through Nuclear By 2030: Chairman PAEC

Chairman Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) Muhammad Naeem said that nuclear resource power generation will go up to 8,800 MW by 2030. To achieve this target, PAEC is planning new nuclear power plants. Currently 4 power plants are working and 4 are under construction. For more plants, talks with Chinese companies have commenced.

Muhammad Naeem was talking to media on the 14th convocation of Karachi Institute of Power Engineering (KINPOE) held at Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP). KINPOE is affiliated with Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Science (PIEAS).

In the Convocation, 119 students were awarded degrees of Master of Science in Nuclear Power Engineering. All the graduated students were given jobs in PAEC affiliated organizations. On this occasion, Rector PIEAS Dr, Nasir Majeed Mirza and Director KINPOE Asif Rajput were also present at the convocation.

Muhammad Naeem said that PAEC has been striving hard to enhance its role in power generation, as the country is facing power shortage. He said that,

Currently 4 power plants are working in Pakistan and producing 1070 MW nuclear power, which including Chashma 1, 325 MW, Chashma 2, 325 MW, Chashma 3, 340 MW and KANUPP 80 MW. 2 power plants in Karachi and 2 in Chashma are under construction.

The Atomic Commission Chairman, talking about further developments in nuclear power said that land has been purchased at Muzaffar Ghar and testing of land is in progress. In other provinces, land will be acquired for the construction of nuclear reactors.

On a recent visit of President of Pakistan, Mamnoon Hussain, talks with the Chinese began for new power plants.

Describing the role of PAEC, Muhammad Naeem told that in PAEC started humbly in 1956 . And since then, PAEC has contributed in country defense, power generation, agriculture and health care. There are 42,000 highly trained staff working in different fields. This human resource provides PAEC an edge.

Regarding the health care, Chairman informed:

PAEC has established 18 atomic Energy Cancer Hospitals in different entities, providing state of the art diagnostics and hospitals which is roughly 80 pc of the total cancer patients in the country.

Similarly in agriculture sector PAEC has established four agriculture research centers, namely NIA at TandoJam , NIBGE and NIAB at Faisalabad and NIFA in Peshawar. These centers are producing weather and disease resistant crop varieties including wheat, rice, lentils. And cotton ect.

Around 96 new crop varieties have been introduced till date which are making a significant contribution towards the betterment of agriculture sector.