Pakistan's Nuclear Power Reactors
Pakistan had 14 gigawatts (GW) of installed electric generating capacity as of January 1, 1996. Of this, about 9 GW was thermal (mainly oil and natural gas), and 5 GW hydroelectric (plus 0.1 GW of nuclear). Despite recent increases in installed generating capacity, Pakistan faces chronic electricity shortages due to rapid demand growth, system losses as high as 30% (due mainly to theft and poor quality transmission lines), and seasonal reductions in the availability of hydropower. Rotating power outages ("load shedding") are common and around 60% of the population (including many villages) is not yet electrified. Although Pakistan's current per capita electricity consumption is very low, the country's electric power demand is growing rapidly (as high as 12% per year), and is projected to continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
Pakistan has one operating nuclear power plant -- the 125-MW Kanupp plant -- which entered operation in October 1971. Pakistan built a second, 300-MW, nuclear plant (using Chinese technology) at Chasma in the Punjab region. This plant, known as Chasnupp 1, was completed in 2000. A second 300-MW unit at Chasnupp is planned for completion in about 10 years.
Three of Pakistan's nuclear reactors (the KANUPP power reactor in Karachi and the PARR I and PARR II research reactors near Islamabad) are covered by IAEA safeguards; the Chasma power plant will be covered as well.
| Location | Unit Namea | Capacity (net MWe) b |
Utilityc | Typed | Reactor Suppliere | Percent Completef | Expected / Actual Date of Operation | |
| Karachi, Sind | Kanupp | 125 | PA | PHWR | CGE | 100 | 10/1971 | |
| Mianwali, Punjub | Chasnupp 1 (Chasma) | 300 | PA | PWR | CNNC | 100 | 03/1999 | 2000 |
| Chasnupp 2 (Chasma) | 300 | PA | PWR | CNNC | -- | 2007 | 2013 | |
| aThe Energy Information Administration's review of the latest data sources may have resulted in revisions of names, capacities, and operation dates. For the United States, revisions are based on the Form-860 "Annual Electric Generator Report."
bMWe = Megawatts-electric. cPA Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission dReactor Types: APWR, advanced pressurized light-water-moderated and cooled reactor; BWR, boiling light-water-cooled and moderated reactor; LGR, light-water-cooled, graphite-moderated reactor; PHWR, pressurized heavy-water-moderated and cooled reactor; PWR, pressurized light-water-moderated and cooled reactor. eCGE Canadian General Electric CNNC China National Nuclear Corporation fPercent complete is an estimate of how close the nuclear unit was to completion. gPublished date is the estimated date of commercial operation. hEIA projection refers to when a nuclear unit is estimated to become operable. A dash (--) indicates that the estimated year of operability is beyond the year 2015. Sources: International Atomic Energy Agency, Nuclear Power Reactors in the World (Vienna, Austria, April 1997); Nuclear News, "World List of Nuclear Power Plants" (March 1997), pp. 37-52. NAC International, "Nuclear Generation," (February 1997), Section F, pp. 1-43; Form EIA-860 "Annual Electric Generator Report." |
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Sources and Resources
- Pakistan Country Analysis Brief - United States Energy Information Administration - May 1998
- Appendix D World Nuclear Units Operable as of December 31, 1996 - Energy Information Administration Nuclear Power Generation and Fuel Cycle Report 1997 September 1997
- Appendix E World Nuclear Units Planned, Deferred, or Under Construction as of December 31, 1996 - Energy Information Administration Nuclear Power Generation and Fuel Cycle Report 1997 September 1997
- Pakistani Facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards or containing safeguarded material on 31 December 1996
- Nuclear material : 2 March 1977 INFCIRC Number: 248
- Miniature neutron source reactor : 10 September 1991 INFCIRC Number: 393
- Nuclear power reactor : 24 February 1993 INFCIRC Number: 418
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