Pakistan’s fourth nuclear power plant, built with China's assistance, goes online
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Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday inaugurated power production from 340 megawatt Chashma-III nuclear power plant 'C-III' near Mianwali, Radio Pakistan reported.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the prime minister slammed the opposition, calling on them to refrain from 'sabotaging' Pakistan's national interests.
"We shouldn't waste our time launching unnecessary protests," he said.
"Ending loadshedding is one of our top priorities," he said, reiterating his government's commitment to end loadshedding by 2018.
The power project is a joint collaboration between the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) and China National Nuclear Corporation. It was executed by the PAEC under the guidelines of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
PM Nawaz said the Chashma-III nuclear power plant will add 600MW to the national grid, adding that it will also help PAEC in achieving the overall target of 8,000MW. He also directed the PAEC to accelerate the production of nuclear power plants.
The premier congratulated the participants and the Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) on timely completion of the project and thanked the China Atomic Energy Authority and the Export-Import Bank of China for extending technical and financial support to the endeavour.
The Chashma-III nuclear power plant was preceded by the Chashma-I and Chashma-II power projects.
Another unit of the same capacity, Chashma-IV, is expected to be completed in the coming year. The premier expressed hope that the Chashma-IV would be completed before its deadline.
Additionally, the Karachi nuclear power projects K-II and K-III are expected to add a total of 8,800MW electricity to the national grid by 2030 as a mid-term target for the PAEC.
The prime minister said that timely completion of the K-II and K-III nuclear power plants will strengthen bilateral relations with China. He invited Chinese investors to invest in various sectors in projects that are mutually beneficial.
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Comments (40) Closed
Dec 28, 2016 11:33am
Great going. Keep it up. I can sense the end of loadshedding in 2018. Inshallah.
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Dec 28, 2016 12:46pm
Proud to have such a strong,progressive,visionary PM and also a world statesman.
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Dec 28, 2016 01:02pm
Great work to be commended.
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Dec 28, 2016 01:07pm
Proud of PM.
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Dec 28, 2016 01:11pm
A great leader indeed
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Dec 28, 2016 01:27pm
Good News indeed
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Dec 28, 2016 01:33pm
Everything is going to end in 2018 so in every sense 2018 will be greatest year in the lives of Pakistanis from load-shedding to corruption to cronyism to dishonesty everything is set to end in 2018 but pause it will continue before and moments after 2018 starts... many congrats..
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Dec 28, 2016 01:46pm
And it will restart from June 2018 when we would have won the elections and stopped further fuel payments to IPPs.
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Dec 28, 2016 02:13pm
If I had a Rupee (or maybe a $) for every time I have heard this tall claim, I would be a millionaire by now!
2018? Yeah, sure, just before the election day, and the day after, it will be business as usual, and people will still be in the dark. Then the claimed target will be 2022!
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Dec 28, 2016 02:28pm
If the PM and his Minister of Water and Power are so sure of this target, they should bet on it with assurances of their resignation if the target is not met - like some Western political leaders do.
David Cameron bet his political career on keeping Britain in the EU. The day after the Brexit vote, he gracefully resigned and even exited politics all together. That's called integrity, which most in Pakistan are unfamiliar with.
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Dec 28, 2016 02:43pm
It will end just a week before the elections & resume a day after it.
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Dec 28, 2016 02:55pm
Ofcourse! I was waiting for them to say this right before 2018.
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Dec 28, 2016 02:59pm
Great work. Good to notice progress in all directions. There is noticeable change for good in the power availability this winter.
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Dec 28, 2016 03:16pm
Some people are never happy. PTI social media warriors will never be pleased. Crazy fans of the Captaan. PM has done more for power projects in Pakistan than Musharaf and Zardari did in ten years
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Dec 28, 2016 03:27pm
Agreements for Unit 3 and 4 were signed in 2009 and agreement for unit 5 was signed in March 2103, both were by another govt and before NS got elected. So please don't give him the credit!!
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Dec 28, 2016 03:29pm
The Prime Minister and his team are sincere in tackling this festering problem. I wish them all the luck and also hope that the culture of electricity theft, refusal to pay bills, both by individuals and organizations is eliminated to an extent as well.
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Dec 28, 2016 03:35pm
Its all Election's gimmick...If load shedding and corruptions finished, then how these fake politicians going fill their pocket.
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Dec 28, 2016 03:35pm
who will be living and who will be dead by 2018?. What is the PM doing today in his humble honesty?
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Dec 28, 2016 03:48pm
Great job .
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Dec 28, 2016 03:56pm
@Fast why not Pakistan develop their own nuclear power plants to fulfill their own energy crisis and sell remaining nuclear power plants to other countries.
It was possible if there were talented leadership and no corruption and bribes in Pakistan.
Second J-31 fighter jet is advance version 5th generation of Jf-17 Thunder. Why Pakistan should not develop J-31 fighter jets jointly with China? It will be cost effective and third Pakistan will obtain some jets manufacturing technology as well.
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Dec 28, 2016 04:22pm
...you mean be ready to be fooled again in the Election 2018 on the name of 'Loadshedding Eradication'. Very smart move by NS.
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Dec 28, 2016 04:32pm
@kamal pasha Whom are you talking about, most definitely not Nawaz Sharif.
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Dec 28, 2016 04:35pm
Is this power plant will ever be operational has yet to seen?
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Dec 28, 2016 04:48pm
Here They come Election campaign promises which will never fulfill...
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Dec 28, 2016 04:51pm
Building castles in the sky, lying and giving false hopes has been a habit of Nawaz league.
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Dec 28, 2016 05:15pm
I am hoping for PML-N itself be history by 2018.
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Dec 28, 2016 06:39pm
Even when the news is good it is hard to believe it. Hope this isn't another Nandipur or Quaid Azam Solar Park. Let us wait and see.
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Dec 28, 2016 08:43pm
It is good news but the govt should avoid such claims of ending loadshedding since its a fact that power outages will continue into the next decade as the growing population mwans growing needs. If the govt aims to uproots corruption instead that will help in solving more than half of the problems. That claim hasn't been made yet although more needed.
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Dec 28, 2016 09:17pm
More electricity, more development. Good show Pakistan!!
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Dec 28, 2016 09:32pm
@Citizen How correct.
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Dec 28, 2016 10:08pm
Proud to be Chinese colony.
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Dec 28, 2016 11:06pm
@Mahmood
There's a stark difference between the societies being compared. The hurdles that need to be overcome in Pakistan are manifold.
Usually the entire opposition is bent upon ensuring the governing party doesn't succeed in any national project that would/could cost the opposition the elections. In the west, it's not the same. Parties progressively participate and support each other for national benefits (unless convinced otherwise) and (relatively educated) people keep a tab of all activities of different parties for future elections. In Pakistan it's a totally different mindset in politics and how projects are executed.
You can compare it to a relay hurdle race, with hurdles every step of the way!
Gauging everything with western standards usually doesn't work in Pakistan where so far I am not aware of a complete transition to western norms yet!
Hence less stringent expectations will have a better yield.
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Dec 29, 2016 12:10am
Chinese are best friends.
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Dec 29, 2016 01:40am
Finally, some good news
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Dec 29, 2016 03:49am
So can someone also share what would be the cost to the bill payer for getting this luxury called 24 hours of power . Now the miracle word CPEC will be thrown into every misery to the common man who is already paying 31% surcharges on power that doesn't yet exist. Please create a transparent accounting system by raising a CPEC bond which the citizens of the country and the whole world can "choose" to invest. The dividend for the bond would be sale of additional power . It's ridiculous to fund grid capacity expansion at the back of the electricity bill.
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Dec 29, 2016 05:23am
Nice work mashallah. I hope Pakistan can develop its own industry after solving electricity crisis, inshallah.
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Dec 29, 2016 07:59am
Our Prime Minister is working hard.insaAllah loadshashading will be finished in 2018,
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Dec 29, 2016 09:41am
NS you rock and with every passing day you rock even better !
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Dec 30, 2016 11:41am
Congratulations any positive development in region is welcome..
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Dec 30, 2016 11:46am
Really commendable that the Government is focused on the target of Power generation but have we thought about distribution and power losses and what about the financial quagmire of circular debt
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