Pakistan Launches $3.7B Nuclear Energy Project With China’s Help
Pakistan has officially begun construction on the $3.7 billion Chashma-5 nuclear power project, its largest nuclear power facility to date. As The Media Line’s Arshad Mehmood reports, this initiative, developed with China’s assistance, aims to address Pakistan’s persistent electricity shortages by adding 1,200 MW of clean energy to the national grid by 2030. The project also highlights the deepening partnership between Pakistan and China, with Chashma-5 expected to create 40,000 jobs during peak construction and contribute significantly to Pakistan’s energy sustainability.
The facility, located in Punjab near Mianwali, will feature advanced Chinese Hualong pressurized water reactor technology, designed to meet international nuclear safety standards. Experts like Asma Khalid and Muhammed Bilal Iftikhar Khan emphasize the project’s dual benefits: reducing Pakistan’s reliance on expensive fossil fuels while boosting its clean energy capacity to combat climate change. Khalid noted that the geopolitical urgency for energy independence has grown amid global conflicts that have driven up hydrocarbon prices.
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Chashma-5 also represents a symbolic assertion of Pakistan’s commitment to peaceful nuclear energy. “This initiative reinforces Pakistan’s sovereignty and technological independence,” said Khan. PAEC Chairman Dr. Raja Ali Raza Anwar praised nuclear energy as key to diversifying the country’s energy mix and enhancing long-term economic stability.
For further insights, read the full article by Arshad Mehmood.
