PM Shehbaz stresses clean energy’s importance for Pakistan at Chashma-5 nuclear plant event

ISLAMABAD BUREAU —Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has emphasised that Chashma-5 (C-5) Nuclear Power Plant represents clean electricity and energy security for the people of Pakistan. The premier made the remarks, aired on Tuesday, at a ceremony marking the dome placement of the C-5 plant near Mianwali. The placement of a nuclear plant’s dome, which is weather-sealed, signifies the end of civil works and the beginning of internal construction and installation.

A government press release hailed the progress as a “major milestone” for the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC). It noted that the C-5 project will have a generation capacity of 1,200 megawatts (MW) and is expected to commence electricity generation in September 2030. In his remarks, PM Shehbaz noted that while the structure may be a mix of concrete and steel, it represented “a promise of clean, reliable and affordable electricity”.

He highlighted the advantages, saying it generated “power that does not rise and fall with the price of imported fuel; power that does not depend on whether the sun shines or the wind blows; and power that runs through the night” for factories and hospitals. He also observed that Pakistan, as a climate-vulnerable country, has a responsibility to pursue energy solutions that support economic goals while protecting the environment. “This project will turn dreams into hope and hope into reality one day soon,” the premier added.

PM Shehbaz recalled that when he stood at the site in July 2023 during the groundbreaking ceremony, he had said that Pakistan “would not wait for anyone, but would build its own future through our hard work and untiring efforts”. “Today, less than three-and-a-half years later, the dome stands in place ahead of schedule,” the premier added, calling it a proud moment for the country and thanking engineers, technicians and workers from Pakistan and China who worked on the project. “I am confident that with the same commitment we will see this project commissioned ahead of time,” he remarked.

Continuing his speech, he thanked Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir for his support in advancing Pakistan’s socio-economic development. The premier also extended his gratitude to China for its assistance in building C-5, Pakistan’s seventh nuclear plant that the neighbour helped build. “Each one stands as a living testament to a friendship that has never wavered, be it the wildest storms or fair weather,” PM Shehbaz said, thanking Chinese President Xi Jinping and his government. “Your engineers have worked shoulder-to-shoulder with ours, through summer heat and winter chill as one team,” he added. “The friendship between our two countries is often described as higher than the Himalayas, deeper than the oceans, sweeter than honey, more precious than gold and diamonds, and stronger than steel.” He extended congratulations to the China Atomic Energy Authority and PAEC, as well as gratitude to the people of Mianwali for hosting the plant. “Our defining role must be to harness every resource, every technology and every citizen to build the Pakistan that Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had dreamt of: a Pakistan that is economically dominant, energy independent and environmentally resilient,” PM Shehbaz stated.

According to PID, PAEC Chairman Dr Raja Ali Raza Anwar highlighted that nuclear power plays an important role in Pakistan’s energy security by providing reliable and low-carbon electricity. He added that Pakistan’s nuclear power plants safely and efficiently generate 3,530MW of electricity, avoiding 15 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, the press release read.

He further highlighted that nuclear energy accounted for around 16.6 per cent of the country’s electricity generation, despite representing only 8.6pc of its installed capacity, with its share of electricity generation rising to 26pc during winter.