ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s 7th Nuclear Power Plant, formally known as K-3, is expected to achieve Commercial Operation Date (COD) by March this year.
According to reports, with the commissioning of K-3 and decommissioning of K-1, the total installed capacity of six nuclear power plants would become 3620MW. The power plant being set up in Karachi is in the final stages of commissioning.
After operational and safety tests the plant is likely to start commercial operation by next month. With the induction of K-2 and K-3 into the national grid, the share of nuclear power in the energy mix would exceed 10 percent. Authorities have already completed loading fuel to the nuclear power plant after receiving a formal fuel load permit from the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA).
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It is pertinent to mention here that a new era in the nuclear power development programme of Pakistan commenced with the signing of ‘Agreement for Cooperation in Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy’ between the governments of China and Pakistan in 1986.
The first concrete step was taken 30 years ago when China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) and Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) signed the contract for construction and installation of a 325-megawatt Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR) at Chashma on December 31, 1991.
The cooperation strengthened with the construction of three more nuclear power plants at Chashma Nuclear Power Generation Station (CNPGS) site. The contract for the construction of two more units (K-2 and K-3) having a generation capacity of 1100 megawatts each near Karachi was signed on February 18, 2013.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, construction work continued on both K-2 and K-3. K-2 successfully started commercial operation on May 21, 2021.
