PAEC gets construction licence for Chashma Nuclear Power Plant Unit-5

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA) here on Friday issued a construction license to the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) for building the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant Unit 5 (C-5) in Mianwali.

According to the official announcement by PNRA, the PAEC applied for the construction license in April this year.

The PAEC presented the Preliminary Safety Assessment Report (PSAR) and other licensing submissions covering design and operational aspects of nuclear safety, radiation protection, emergency preparedness, waste management and nuclear security. After a thorough review and assessment of the licensing submissions and on satisfactory fulfilment of all regulatory requirements in compliance with the relevant national and international standards, the PNRA issued the license.

“C-5 is an advanced third-generation Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) of Chinese Hualong design (HPR1000) having active and passive safety features including a double-shell containment and reactor filtered venting system, and has a 60 years’ design life.”

In addition, many other technological innovations have been made in the design. This is the third Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Pakistan with this design. Two NPPs (K-2 & K-3) of the same design are already successfully operating in Karachi and adding electricity to the national grid. It is also pertinent to note that, C-5 will be the largest electricity-producing NPP in Pakistan with a capacity of 1,200 MWs.