The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) has secured a construction licence from the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA) for the 1.2GW Chashma Nuclear Power Plant Unit 5 (C-5) in Punjab province.

PAEC submitted the construction licence application in April, along with the preliminary safety assessment report (PSAR) and other documentation addressing nuclear safety, radiation protection, emergency preparedness, waste management, and nuclear security.

Following a comprehensive review, the PNRA issued the licence, confirming that all regulatory requirements had been met in accordance with national and international standards.

C-5 represents an ‘advanced’ third-generation pressurised water reactor (PWR) of the Chinese Hualong design (HPR1000), featuring active and passive safety systems.

These include a double-shell containment and a reactor-filtered venting system, designed to ensure safety over its 60-year lifespan.

The C-5 unit is said to be the “largest electricity producing nuclear power plant in Pakistan” upon completion.

It is the third in Pakistan to utilise the Hualong design, following two nuclear power plants in Karachi (K-2 & K-3) that are already contributing to the national grid.

In November 2017, the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) entered a cooperation agreement with PAEC for the construction of C-5.

This project underscores the ongoing nuclear collaboration between China and Pakistan, with C-5 being the seventh nuclear power unit China has exported to Pakistan and the third featuring HPR 1000 technology.

In June 2023, PAEC and CNNC signed a memorandum of understanding to build the C-5 unit.