In recent years, Pakistan has proudly and progressively joined the group of selected countries that produce structure, equipment, and components for a nuclear power plant according to the safety standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). These items include reactor vessels, storage tanks, cooling systems, steam generators, heat exchangers and other heavy components at the nuclear island, and a variety of spares, accessories, and ancillaries for a nuclear power plant. Pakistan has impeccable credentials in safety and security of operating and maintaining its nuclear power plants.
In recent years, Pakistan has proudly and progressively joined the group of selected countries that produce structure, equipment, and components for a nuclear power plant according to the safety standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). These items include reactor vessels, storage tanks, cooling systems, steam generators, heat exchangers and other heavy components at the nuclear island, and a variety of spares, accessories, and ancillaries for a nuclear power plant. Pakistan has impeccable credentials in safety and security of operating and maintaining its nuclear power plants.
The foundation for developing indigenous manufacturing of heavy equipment for nuclear power plants to cater to domestic needs was laid in the mid 1990s when a joint venture, namely Heavy Mechanical Complex-3 (HMC-3), was created between Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) and State Engineering Corporation (SEC) for the purpose. The Chinese, with whom Pakistan has a long-lasting partnership for pursuing its nuclear energy program, had extended technical and economic assistance for setting up the project, whereas state-of-the-art precision machinery was imported from the western sources.
HMC-3, a specialized and dedicated facility for manufacturing equipment and systems for a nuclear power plant, is located at Taxila, adjacent to HMC-1 and HMC-2, the two heavy engineering units of the SEC which are now under the management control of the PAEC along HMC-3, thus forming a huge complex with light- medium- and heavy- facilities for fabrication, machining, forging and heat treatment. HMC-3 has capacity and capability to produce precision and high-tech components and heavy equipment, up to 320-tons apiece, required for a nuclear power plant for controlling and maintaining activities in a reactor. It has a well-equipped and latest computer-aided design (CAD) set-up.
HMC-3 is now an established designer and manufacturer of nuclear safety class mechanical equipment, approved and licensed by the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA), covering all the three safety classes i.e. class 1, class 2, and class 3 which represent the severity of consequences that is divided into three levels—high, medium, and low. According to the ‘IAEA Safety Classification of Structures, Systems, and Components in Nuclear Power Plants’ the design provisions are classified as Safety Class 1 for any Structures, Systems, and Components (SSC) whose failure would lead to consequences of high severity, and failure of function could lead to release of radioactive material that exceeds the limits accepted for design basis accidents.
Safety Class 2 of any SSC is categorized for the SSC whose failure would lead to consequences of medium severity that exceeds limits for anticipated operational occurrences, whereas Safety Class 3 refers to consequences of low severity leading to doses to workers above authorized limits. Applicable engineering design rules and codes for the SSCs correspond to national and international standards such as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and others.
There are three manufacturers of equipment and components complying with nuclear safety class i.e. HMC-3, Novel Engineering Works, also known as NEW-2, and Instrumentation Control and Computer Complex (ICCC) that largely contribute to design, engineering and product development activities at the PAEC. These facilities are complimented by Nuclear Equipment Workshop or NEW-1, Pakistan Welding Institute having comprehensive modern welding facilities, and well-equipped inspection and testing facilities known as National Centre for Non-Destructive Testing. These organizations, having adopted stringent quality controls as per international standards, are qualified and governed under the PNRA regulations issued from time to time. PAEC’s Works and Services Organization is the designer of safety class structure.
Aiming to achieve nuclear self-reliance, the indigenous design and manufacturing facilities have resulted in promoting a long-term robust nuclear energy program. The main objectives are to reduce import dependence, to decrease total cost of construction, and thus to lower generation cost of nuclear energy. Since the beginning of construction of the first nuclear power plant at Chashma various equipment, components and systems were produced and delivered, initially related to non-safety areas. The supplies also included crucial packages like loose-parts monitoring system which was locally designed, developed and installed, reactor internal vibration monitoring system, high-density tray-racking system, and spent fuel dry storage system.
Thus, the local industry has attained significant level of deletion related to the Chinese nuclear power plant model CNP-300 of capacity in the range of 325-MWe to 340-MWe after having assimilated nuclear technology on installation of four plants at Chashma in the past. However, the level of indigenization in construction of two large-capacity third generation model HPR 1,000 (capacity 1,100-MWe) commissioned in Karachi recently has been lower comparatively.
Currently, Pakistan operates, under international safeguards, six nuclear power plants of cumulative capacity of 3,262-MWe, with 8 percent share in total energy mix. It is planned to enhance the capacity of nuclear power to a cumulative 8,800-MWe by 2030, according to the 2005 Energy Security Plan and to further add capacity to the national grid in subsequent years, totaling 40,000-MWe by 2050. In spite of expansion of nuclear power capacity being a key element of energy policy there is not a single nuclear power plant under construction at present, notwithstanding the importance of nuclear power in securing electric supply, fuel diversity, and minimal greenhouse gas emissions on a lifecycle basis.
Agreement was signed with the Chinese in September 2017 for the construction of another nuclear power plant at Chashma of 1,100-MWe capacity, planned for commissioning in 2028. But the pace of progress has been too slow and it was only in January this year that the contract was concluded with the Chinese contractors and now the project is rescheduled to achieve commercial operations in seven years after commencement of construction. Another five nuclear power plants each of 1,100-MWe capacity were planned as early as in 2005, and sites selected in the Punjab but there is no further progress on developing these projects though four of these plants were planned for power generation by 2030.
Energy Plan IGCEP 2022-2031envisages nuclear power capacity to remain static at 3,262-MWe until the completion of plan period, though the fifth nuclear power plant at Chashma is projected as a committed project. Obviously, the target of achieving 8,800-MWe nuclear capacity by 2030 has been largely missed already since at least 4,500-MWe was to be added by then as per original plans which would not materialize given the present status. The situation has adversely impacted the growth of domestic nuclear industry, and, resultantly the indigenization in nuclear field.
The writer is retired Chairman of the State Engineering Corporation
