The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) is ready to initiate the ‘Chashma Nuclear Power Project Units 3 & 4’ of 300 MW each with financial assistance of China and the Pakistani government.
The total cost of the project that stands at Rs 139.011 billion includes Foreign Exchange Component (FEC) of Rs 99.538 billion and it would be completed within the stipulated period of eight years. The project consists of setting up total of 600 MW installed capacity consisting of two additional units with normal capacity of 300 MW each at the existing Chashma site in district Mianwali. Each unit will comprise of Nuclear Steam Supply System (NSSS), a turbine-generator set and the associated auxiliary equipment and installations, sources told Daily Times here on Friday.
The NSSS consists of a reactor and two coolant loops connected in parallel to the reactor vessel. Each loop consists of a reactor coolant pump and steam generator. Sources further informed that the design of C-3 and C-4 units is essentially same as that of the under-construction C-2. The C-2 design is an improved version of C-1. These improvements are based on feedback from C-1 and safety enhancements to meet the requirements of the Pakistan nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA).
The sources further informed that the some site infrastructure was already developed needing only incremental upgrading.
The government has already allocated Rs 200 million as token allocation in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2008-09 for the project in review.
About available facilities, the sources said that one nuclear power plant Chashma Nuclear Power Plant (CHASNUPP) unit-1 (C-1) of 300 MW was already operating while another similar unit C-2 was undergoing construction at the Chashma site. The cooling water for the two proposed 2X300 MW units would be obtained from the Chashma-Jhelum (C-J) Link Canal.
The project would help the government to reduce dependence on imported fuels for power generation and diversifying energy sources by enhancing use of nuclear power technology. It will also help in maximising new power generation capacity requirement from indigenous resources i.e. coal, local gas and renewable as well as from nuclear. The project in review will be presented in the CDWP meeting scheduled to be held on 18th of this month.
During the eight years of the project’s completion, the breakdown of capital cost of the project will be as: Rs 15.381 billion with FEC Rs 12.489 billion in 2008-09, Rs 17.284 billion with Rs 12.729 billion as FEC in 2009-10, Rs 21.382 billion with FEC Rs 15.186 billion in 2010-11, Rs 26.719 billion with FEC Rs 19.122 billion in 2011-12, Rs 21.688 billion with FEC Rs 15.342 billion during 2012-13, Rs 16.363 billion with Rs 11.530 billion as FEC in 2013-14, Rs 12.646 billion with Rs 8.564 billion as FEC in 2014-15 and Rs 7.548 billion with Rs 4.576 billion as FEC in 2015-16.
The sources further informed that the existing power generation capacity is not sufficient to meet the ever-increasing demand of the country. Therefore, there is a dire need to install/commission additional capacity in the power generation system. The power demand projection based on growth rate shows that power demand will increase from 15,183 MW in 2007-08 to about 20,000 MW in 2010-11 in the WAPDA system and severe shortage of power is expected in the next two years.
(Source: Daily Times, Pakistan)
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