The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) announced on Friday that its Karachi Nuclear Power Plant Unit-3 (K-3) had been successfully connected to the national grid.
The 1,100-megawatt nuclear power plant (NPP) reached criticality on February 21 and was undergoing various safety tests and procedures before being connected to the grid.
“The plant has been connected to the grid on a testing basis and is expected to be inaugurated soon after attaining full power,” a statement said.
K-3 is Pakistan’s second nuclear power plant, with a generation capacity of 1,100 MW, and its addition to the national grid is expected to help reduce electricity tariffs in the country, according to the PAEC.
The plants were created with Chinese assistance.
K-3 is one of two identical nuclear power plants near Karachi. Prime Minister Imran Khan dedicated the other, known as K-2, on May 21 of last year.
Nawaz Sharif, the then-prime minister of Pakistan, laid the foundation for the project’s two units (K-2 and K-3) in November 2013.
After receiving license from the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA), construction on K-2 and K-3 began in August 2015 and May 2016, respectively.
After receiving approval from the PNRA, fuel loading for the plant (K-3) began in December 2021.
The PAEC today operates six power plants across the country. Two are in Karachi, while four are in Mianwali’s district — Chashma Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1-4.
Previously, all PAEC-operated NPPs had a combined generation capacity of over 2,400 MW. The connection of K-3 to the national grid will increase the country’s nuclear power plant output capacity to over 3,500MW, significantly increasing nuclear power’s total proportion of the energy mix.
“Nuclear energy is safe, reliable, and an important source of electricity with zero carbon emission besides being economically competitive,” the PAEC said, noting that the NPPs were run under the International Atomic Energy Agency’s supervision.
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