IAEA Approves Safeguards for Chashma Nuclear Unit-5

IAEA has cleared safeguards for Chashma Nuclear Unit-5, advancing Pakistan’s nuclear energy programme. The 1,200MW project is expected to start operations by 2030.

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The Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency has endorsed a safeguards arrangement with Pakistan for the planned fifth unit at the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the approval demonstrates continued international trust in the country’s adherence to global safeguards and its commitment to using nuclear technology for civilian purposes.

Chashma Unit-5 is planned as a 1,200-megawatt pressurised water reactor and is scheduled to begin generating electricity around 2030. Once operational, the plant is expected to supply additional low-carbon energy to Pakistan’s power system and support efforts to diversify the national generation mix.

Officials noted that Pakistan currently operates six nuclear facilities with a combined installed capacity of about 3,530 megawatts of electricity. These plants have maintained strong operational performance, recording capacity utilisation levels exceeding 90 percent on average.

Over the past year, nuclear generation provided roughly 18.3 percent of Pakistan’s total electricity output and represented around one-third of the country’s low-emission power supply. Authorities also highlighted that Pakistan’s nuclear programme has accumulated more than a century of reactor operating experience under international monitoring standards.