New Delhi: Pakistan is all set to begin construction work on the third unit of the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant. The unit will be developed using a reactor by the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC).
According to CNNC spokesman Pan Jianming, the construction work will begin within weeks that aim to ease power shortages in the region.
Jianming informed that third unit at the K-3 plant is also the second nuclear power project in Pakistan to use CNNC’s third-generation nuclear reactor design -- Hualong One technology.
The first plant to use this technology was K-2, where construction work was started in August last year. Once ready, the K-2 power plant, largest in the country, is expected to generate 1,100MW electricity.
"Hualong One was developed based on very mature technologies and the project is going very smoothly,” Jianming said.
CNNC had been accelerating its efforts to sell the technology to overseas buyers. Last week, it had signed a framework deal with Sudan, first project in the African country, to build a 600-megawatt atomic reactor.
In August last year, while inaugurating the K-2 power project at the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant, PM Nawaz Sharif had thanked Chinese government for their cooperation in the construction of nuclear power plants. He had also said that the construction of K-2 and K-3 power plants will strengthen the friendship between the two nations.
Jianming further said that an understanding had been reached with the Algerian energy authorities for the development of a nuclear research centre. The two parties would consider using the Hualong One technology, and also discuss the possibility of developing renewable-energy projects.
