Friday, July 4, 2003
China to give Rs 30 bn to Pak to build N power plant
Press Trust of India Islamabad, July 4
China would extend a Rs 30 billion loan to Pakistan to build its third nuclear power plant in Punjab province to boost its nuclear power generation, according to media reports.
Pakistan was all set to formally initiate work on the second 325-megawatt power plant at Chashma in Punjab which would cost around Pakistani Rs 55 billion and China has agreed to extend Rs. 30 billion assistance, local newspaper Daily Times quoted officials of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) as saying.
The balance amount would be generated locally, they said. China has already helped Pakistan set up a nuclear power plant at Chashma which was inaugurated in 2002. The Chashma Nuclear Power Plant-1, which was the second in the country, also produces about 325 MW of power.
The country's first nuclear power project, the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP), was built with Canadian help and currently generates about 137 MW of power.
PAEC officials said that Chashma-II would be completed by 2010. "With the initiation of this project, Pakistan would be able to generate 787 MW electricity from the country's nuclear power plants," they said, adding that there are plans to set up a 600 MW second power plant at KANUPP also. However it would be taken up after completion of Chashma-II.
© Hindustan Times Ltd. 2003. Reproduction in any form is prohibited without prior permission