Islamabad: The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) has officially commenced construction of the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant Unit-5 (C-5) in Mianwali, marking a significant milestone in Pakistan-China strategic cooperation. The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong, and other dignitaries from both countries.
Addressing the event as the chief guest, Minister Ahsan Iqbal highlighted the C-5 project as a testament to the enduring friendship between Pakistan and China. He emphasized that the plant will create thousands of jobs, provide 1200 MW of clean and economical energy to the national grid, and play a pivotal role in Pakistan’s socio-economic development. “It is the need of the hour that Pakistan strives to become a techno-economy,” he remarked.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also hailed the C-5 project as a landmark achievement in Pakistan-China collaboration. In a post on X, he celebrated the launch of the country’s largest and most advanced nuclear power plant, expressing gratitude to the PAEC and China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) for their efforts. “The plant will contribute 1200 megawatts of electricity. Pak-China Dosti Zindabaad!” he wrote.
The addition of C-5 will bring Pakistan’s total nuclear energy capacity to 4760 MW, significantly bolstering clean energy production and advancing the country’s development goals.
