ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) has submitted a petition to the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) seeking a levelized tariff of Rs16.7354 per unit (5.97 cents) for the upcoming Chashma Nuclear Power Plant-5 (C-5) project. The 1,200 MW facility is estimated to cost Rs1.124 trillion and will be completed within 81 months.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The project financing comprises 19% equity and 81% debt, with the majority of funding sourced from China at an interest rate of 3%. The proposed tariff includes Rs19.8268 per unit for the initial 12 years and Rs9.6320 per unit for the subsequent 28 years, averaging a levelized tariff of Rs16.7354 per unit over the plant’s 40-year lifespan.
Project Cost Breakdown
EPC Costs: Rs965.835 billion
Non-EPC Costs: Rs69.469 billion
Interest During Construction (IDC): Rs89.538 billion
The overnight capital cost is estimated at $3,081 per kW. The plant will operate at a 90% capacity factor, and equity redemption will span 28 years. Debt repayment is scheduled over 12 years with an 8-year grace period, based on an exchange rate of Rs280 per US dollar.
Pakistan’s Nuclear Power Landscape
PAEC currently operates six nuclear units across two sites, with a combined generation capacity of 3,262 MW:
Chashma Nuclear Power Generating Station (CNPGS): Four units (C-1 to C-4) based on 300 MW pressurized water reactor (PWR) designs near Mianwali, Punjab.
Karachi Nuclear Power Generating Station (KNPGS): Two advanced PWR units (KANUPP-2 and KANUPP-3), each with 1,100 MW capacity, near Karachi, Sindh.
The original KNPGS unit, a 137 MW pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR), was recently decommissioned after 50 years of operation.
The C-5 project represents a significant step in Pakistan’s push for affordable, sustainable, and clean energy through nuclear power development.
