Pakistan connects first 1,100MW nuclear power plant to national grid
Pakistan has connected its first Chinese-assisted 1,100MW nuclear power plant in Karachi to the national grid that will help improve the country's economy by providing cost-effective and reliable electricity. The newly-built 1,100MW Karachi Nuclear Power Plant Unit-2 (K-2) was linked with the national grid on Thursday night. The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC)has termed it a Pakistan Day gift to the nation.
Here is what Pakistan's Energy Minister tweeted
Loading of nuclear fuel began in December last year
"The nuclear power plant (NPP) had achieved criticality at the end of February and was undergoing certain safety tests and procedures before it could finally be connected to the national grid," the PAEC said in a statement. The loading of nuclear fuel onto the plant was started on December 1, 2020, after getting clearance from the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority.
K-2 is based on the Chinese HPR-1000 technology
K-2 is the first nuclear power plant in Pakistan with a generation capacity of 1,100MW. It is a pressurized water reactor based on the Chinese HPR-1000 technology and a third-generation plant equipped with advanced safety features.
K-2 will be inaugurated by May end
K-2 is one of the two similar under-construction plants in Karachi and will be inaugurated for commercial operation by the end of May this year. Another plant, K-3 is also in the completion phase and is expected to be operational by year-end. PAEC owns six NPPs in Pakistan, including two in Karachi and four at Chashma in the Mianwali District of Punjab.
Construction of the K-2 plant began in August 2015
Earlier, the collective generation capacity of all PAEC-operated nuclear power plants was around 1,400MW, which would go up with the commissioning of K-2 and later on K-3. The construction of the K-2 plant began in August 2015 in the outskirts of Karachi.
