LAHORE: Pakistan has decided to install 10 more nuclear power plants in various parts of the country with the help of China and with an estimated cost of Rs. 150 billion, pormarily to generate 8,800 MW of nuclear energy in next 20 years.

The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) has decided to install in next five years more nuclear power plants that include 1) Qadirabad-Bulloki link canal near Qadirabad Headworks; 2) Dera Ghazi Khan canal near Tuansa barrage, 3) Taunsa-Punjnad canal near Multan; 4) Nara canal near Sukkur, 5) Pat Feeder canal near Guddu and 6) Kabul river near Nowshera.

These sites are in addition to the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant site where four nuclear plants will be installed. According to the government sources, having taken the decision to install new nuclear power plants, Pakistani President Zardari is to seek from Beijing the fuel technology for future power plants during his forthcoming visit to China. These nuclear power plants will cost over Rs150bn, including a foreign exchange component of Rs100 bn.

The government will also establish a nuclear power fuel complex at a cost of Rs5o bn to locally fabricate fuel for the future nuclear power plants. The Complex is under implementation that consists of five components that include Chemical processing plants, enrichment plant, seamless tube plant, fuel fabrication plant and nuclear fuel testing plant.
Source : DNA