ISLAMABAD: The Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has unanimously approved an agreement with Pakistan for the application of safeguards at Unit-5 of the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan said on Wednesday.
In a statement, the Foreign Office said the development reflected the international community’s continued confidence in Pakistan’s commitment to the peaceful use of nuclear energy and adherence to global non-proliferation and safeguards obligations.
The plant, which will have a gross capacity of 1,200 megawatts, is expected to become operational by 2030. Upon completion, the unit will provide a significant source of low-carbon electricity to the national grid, contributing to energy security, climate targets and sustainable economic growth.
According to the statement, Pakistan currently operates six nuclear power plants with a combined installed capacity of 3,530 megawatts, maintaining an average capacity factor exceeding 90 percent.
Over the past year, nuclear power contributed 18.3 percent to the national electricity mix and accounted for 34 percent of the country’s total low-carbon electricity generation.
The Foreign Office said Pakistan has accumulated more than 100 reactor-years of operational experience and maintains a strong record of safe, secure and fully safeguarded nuclear power operations in line with international standards.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the approval marked an important milestone for Pakistan’s energy future and underscored global trust in the country’s nuclear safety, security and peaceful nuclear programme.
According to the IAEA, safeguards are implemented through legally binding agreements under which states accept the agency’s oversight to ensure nuclear material is used for peaceful purposes. Such safeguards are applied in three states that are not party to the Treaty on the Non‑Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons — Pakistan, India and Israel — through item-specific agreements with the agency.
The approval followed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s meeting with IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi during an official visit to Vienna last month.
During the visit, the prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for the agency’s role in promoting the responsible use of nuclear technology. An agreement was also signed to designate the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Oncology Lahore as an IAEA collaborating centre.
At present, four CNP-300 reactors are operational at the Chashma nuclear complex, while construction of Unit-5 is underway.