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Pakistan Nuclear Power Fuel Complex

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the Indian nuclear complex, see Nuclear Fuel Complex.

The Pakistan Nuclear Power Fuel Complex (PNPFC), also known as Chemical Processing Plant (CPP), is a nuclear fuel manufacturing and a fabrication plant located in about 175 km (109 mi) south of Islamabad, possibly in Faisalabad District in Punjab.[1]

The plant is owned by the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, dedicated solely for nuclear reprocessing to support the pressurized water reactor-type reactors.[1] The plant provides fuel for the larger Chashma Nuclear Power Plant (CHASNUPP) in Punjab, which converts the U3O8 to natural UF6, and enriched UF6 into UO2 powder, then converted depleted UF6 into depleted uranium metal and produced zircon ingot.[1] The plant is under the IAEA safeguards and is restricted to manufacture fuel bundles only for Chashma Nuclear Power Plant built in cooperation with China.[2][3]

History

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In 2006, the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission originally planned to establish the US$ 1.2 billion ($1.81 billion in 2023) industrial complex that consisted of separate uranium enrichment and a fuel fabrication plant to support the grid operations of the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant (CHASNUPP) to lessen the dependence on imported fuel bundles from China.[1] In 2007, the federal Government of Pakistan approved the funding for the plant at the cost of Rs. 16.112 billion (US$56 million).[4] It was reported that that nuclear fuel complex was built at the cost of Rs. 28 billion (US$97 million) paid through the Pakistani taxpayers.[1] The PAEC constructed the plant through a private company, the Central Development Working Party (CDWP Ltd.), in 2009.[4]

Due to constraints imposed by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the capacity of the nuclear fuel complex has been limited and the fuel bundles were reported to be imported from China to run the grid operations for reactors at the Chashma Nuclear Power Complex.[5][6] In spite of its limitation and public perception of the imported fuel, the Pakistan Nuclear Power Fuel Complex was reported by be manufacturing and providing the fuel bundles for the Chashma Nuclear Power Complex.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Boureston, Jack (June 2008). Sultan, Maria (ed.). Understanding Pakistan's Energy Security Needs and the Role of Nuclear Energy (PDF). Research Report. Vol. 16. London: South Asian Strategic Stability Institute (SASSI). ETH Zürich isn : 99927 : RR No 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 December 2010.
  2. ^ Ghani, M. Osman (25 February 2009). "Pakistan's energy sector needs long-term sustainable policy". Business & Finance Review. The News International. Jang Group. p. 2?. Archived from the original on 25 February 2009. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  3. ^ Aized, Tauseef (28 July 2009). "Nuclear power generation". The Nation. Nawaiwaqt Group. Archived from the original on 8 February 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Pak to build nuclear power fuel complex". News On Projects. Islamabad. 19 September 2007. Archived from the original on 16 March 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  5. ^ "Nuclear Power in Pakistan". World Nuclear Association. February 2011. Archived from the original on 24 March 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2012. This is partly based on: Wilson, Michael (1995). The Nuclear Future: Asia and Australia and the 1995 Conference on Non-Proliferation. Australia-Asia papers. Vol. 74. Centre for the Study of Australia-Asia Relations, Griffith University. ISBN 086857595X. Google Books YbS2AAAAIAAJ (search-only). HathiTrust uc1.31822021215140 (search-only).
  6. ^ [1][dead link]
  7. ^ Albright, David; Kelleher-Vergantini, Serena (20 February 2015). "Pakistan's Chashma Plutonium Separation Plant: Possibly Operational". Institute for Science and International Security. Washington, D.C. Archived from the original on 26 June 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
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