Nuclear Power Generation an attractive option for Pakistan
Nuclear Power Generation an attractive option for Pakistan
Nuclear Power Generation an attractive option for Pakistan
Rafi Samad
Key words: nuclear power plants, present installed capacity of nuclear power plants in Pakistan, future plans for increase in installed capacity
For sustainable development, Pakistan needs a sustainable source of energy. In the recent past Pakistan has relied heavily on oil and gas. These energy resources have severe limitations because of volatile oil and gas market, depleting resources for oil and gas, and environmental pollution caused by thermal power plants based on these fuels. Nuclear energy can play an important part in sustaining the development process.
The present energy mix in Pakistan is highly unbalanced because of the seasonal nature of the electricity available from Hydropower Plants. Presently electricity produced by Nuclear Power Plants meets just 2.74% of the country's demand for electricity. This imbalance will be rectified by installing more Nuclear Power plants.
The first Nuclear Power Plant was installed in Pakistan with Canadian assistance near Karachi in 1966. This Plant, referred to as KANUPP-1, was based on a Heavy water reactor and was capable of generating 125 MW power. It has recently been overhauled and its rating has been reduced to 87 MW power.
The second Nuclear Power Plant in Pakistan went into production in the year 2000. This plant, known as CHASNUPP-1, was set up with the cooperation of Peoples Republic of China at Chashma. It is based on Pressurized Water Reactor and is rated at 325MWe.
These are the only two Nuclear Plants presently in operation in Pakistan. Although their combined Theoretical generating capacity is 450 MW, their actual capability based on local operating conditions is about 400 MW.
A third Nuclear Power reactor, similar to CHASNUPP-1, is presently in the final stages of installation. This Plant, CHASNUPP-2, is identical to CHASNUPP-1. After its commissioning sometime in 2011, the total theoretical installed capacity of Nuclear Power Plants in Pakistan would become 775 MW.
Pakistan is among the 30 nations in the world, which have reposed confidence in Nuclear Power Plants. The global installed capacity of Nuclear Power Plants stood at 375,000 MWe at the end of 2010, based on 442 Nuclear Power Plants. Since the first Nuclear Power Plant was installed in 1950, tremendous progress has been achieved in the field of Nuclear Power Generation. There has been substantial improvement in the efficiency of Nuclear Power Plants and their availability factor has also increased ,which means reduced downtime for maintenance.
These improvements have encouraged a number of Asian nations to go for Nuclear Energy in a big way. Japan and South Korea were already among the leading nations producing nuclear electricity. In recent years China and India have made huge investments in Nuclear Power Plants. China presently has 11 Nuclear Power Plants of total 9000 MW capacity, while the total installed capacity of 20 Nuclear Power Plants in India has reached 4780 MW. India has also recently commissioned a locally developed nuclear power reactor of 220 MW capacity. Pakistan has also drawn up plans to increase the installed capacity of its Nuclear Power Plants to 8800 MW by 2020 by installing 10 new Nuclear Power Plants.
Pakistan is presently importing fuel for the Nuclear Power plants fro China. In order to make the country self-sufficient in nuclear fuel, a facility is being developed, which will use locally available Uranium ore to produce 350 tons of nuclear fuel annually starting from 2015.
To take care of the nuclear waste generated by the Nuclear Plants, Waste Management Centers are being developed at Karachi and Chashma, and a Repository for low and intermediate level waste is expected to be commissioned by 2015.
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