In Pakistan, nuclear power is provided by six nuclear reactors in two commercial nuclear power plants with a net capacity of 3,545 MW from pressurized water reactors. In FY2023, Pakistan's nuclear power plants (NPPs) produced a total of 24.054 terawatt-hours of electricity, which accounted for roughly 18.65% of the nation's total electric energy generation. Pakistan is the first country in the Muslim world to construct and operate commercial nuclear plants, with first being commissioned in 1972. As of 2025, there is one NPP (Chashma-V) that is under construction and expected to produce 1,200 MW of electricity. Only one NPP, KANUPP-1 has been decommissioned, after a 50-year run in 2021. Under its current policy to address its energy security, the country plans on constructing 32 commercial NPPs by 2050, with a combined generation capacity of 40,000 MW to meet 25% of the nation's electricity demands. The nuclear power in Pakistan is regulated through the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA), which grants licenses and their renewals, while the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) manages the operations of the NPPs. Due to the country's refusal to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and accept full-scope IAEA safeguards, the imports and access to the reactor technology has been restricted by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). In the past, Canada partnered with Pakistan in providing the nation's first nuclear power plant in 1965 and later, China and the IAEA has provided support in providing the nuclear power plants since 1993 at address its challenges relating to energy security.
History
In 1960, the plans on the construction for nation's first nuclear power plant were submitted to the Ayub administration by the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, with support from the Abdus Salam who was serving in capacity as Science Advisor to the Government of Pakistan at that time. In fact, it was Abdus Salam's efforts that led to the approval of the country's first commercial nuclear power plant at the Paradise Point in Karachi, Sindh. During this time, the Ayub administration successfully negotiated the Canadian government that allowed the GE Canada to work with the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission in designing and constructing the country's first commercial nuclear power in 1965. In 1965, the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission's Centre for Nuclear Studies (CNS) was able to design and construct its own small reactor, known as the Pakistan Atomic Research Reactor (PARR-I) in Nilore. The fuel bundles were for this reactor were, however, provided by the United States Atomic Energy Commission (USAEC) through the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for research and training purposes only. The first commercial nuclear power plant was design on the basis of CANDU-type which was earlier offered to India (in 1955) but Canada had its priced at US$ 10 million ($102 million in 2025) which was too expensive for the country's taxpayers to afford. The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission eventually negotiated with the GE Canada to redesign the reactor for Pakistan-specific needs, which resulted in a 137 MW (0.137 GW) CANDU-type pressurised heavy water reactor and it featured stark differences in the reactor designs supplied to India by Canada.
Start of commercial nuclear power On 28 November 1972, the country's first nuclear power plant, the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP), was commissioned and went online with nation's electric grid system. Reportedly constructed at the taxpayer's cost of US$23 million ($177 million in 2025), the commissioning of KANUPP reactor provided a distinction to Pakistan as a "first in the Muslim world to have an operating nuclear power station." In 1973, the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's administration entered in several nuclear power agreements with France, Germany, Belgium, and the United Kingdom but Zulfikar Ali Bhutto administration's refusal to be a party of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) restricted any meaningful agreements with any of the European nuclear fuel suppliers. After the India's first nuclear test in 1974, Canada and France became party of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) that restricted any cooperation on nuclear power with the country unless the country becomes the party of the NPT. In the absence of the foreign cooperation, the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission worked on feasibility studies for its own power reactor and had secured funding for the nuclear power plant at the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant from the Zia administration in 1980. In 1985, the project was delegated to the former Soviet Union who later decided against participating in the project. Benazir Bhutto's administration again held unsuccessful negotiations with France on participating in the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant in 1990. Eventually, the Sharif administration entered in successful negotiation with China for the construction of the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant in 1993. On 14 September 2000, the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant was commissioned and went online with the country's grid electric grid system. Since 2000, Pakistan has signed multiple bilateral agreements with China in expanding its energy needs through nuclear power at the Karachi Nuclear Power Complex and the Chashma Nuclear Power Complex that has alleviated its economy and provided energy security to the country. The agreement with China on acquiring the nuclear power reactor technology was entrusted and transferred through the International Atomic Energy Agency's remedial and its safeguards.
International cooperation
China
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