- CHASHMA, Pakistan (AFP) --
Pakistan's Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) is to build two new nuclear
power plants at Chashma in central Punjab province and the southern port
city of Karachi, state-run media reported Tuesday.
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- The Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency quoted
PAEC chairman Parvez Butt as saying the plants would be built "in
the coming years" to meet Pakistan's growing energy needs.
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- He said the projects, named KANUPP-2 (Karachi) and CHASNUPP-2
(Chashma) would be constructed with a capacity of 600 megawatts and 300
megawatts respectively.
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- "The projects are under consideration for formal
approval with the government and construction activity will commence in
near future," Butt said.
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- Two nuclear power plants operated by the PAEC currently
meet three percent of Pakistan's total energy requirements, but with the
completion of the two new plants nuclear power would provide about 10 percent
of current demand.
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- Butt said new tariffs of 2.25 rupees (four cents) per
kilowatt hour -- up from 1.75 rupees (about three cents) -- would allow
the PAEC to cover construction costs over the medium term.
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- He said nuclear power was the only responsible option
in light of global warming and Pakistan's dwindling reserves of hydrocarbons.
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- "Tidal, solar, wind, and fuel cell options are environmentally
promising, but they can provide only a very limited part of increasing
energy demand," Butt said.
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- He said Pakistan's enhanced power needs, due to a planned
boost in industrialization and an increasing population, couldn't be met
by hydro-electric projects.
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- "We have the distinction of being the only country
in the Muslim world operating two nuclear power plants and have competant
human resource capable of installing and operating more nuclear plants,"
he added.
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- Pakistan, he said, also had sufficient uranium resources
and manufacturing of its own nuclear fuel had now reached a point where
sufficient amounts could be produced to meet the demands of the new plants.
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