PAEC Signs Contract for 5MW Hydropower Plant

News Desk
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) Foundation has formally signed a contract to establish a new 5-megawatt hydropower plant at the outfall of the Chashma-5 Nuclear Power Plant, further expanding the country’s renewable energy portfolio.
Designated as the Foundation Hydel Power Plant Unit-05 (FHPP-05), the project marks the fifth clean energy venture undertaken by the PAEC Foundation, aimed at optimizing domestic water resources for sustainable power generation.
According to an official statement issued by the commission, the upcoming hydropower facility is projected to inject approximately 30.66 million kilowatt-hours of clean, cost-effective electricity into the national grid annually once operational.
The PAEC Foundation, established in 1994 as the non-profit welfare arm of the commission for its employees and their families, has steadily diversified its energy portfolio to incorporate sustainable infrastructural developments alongside its primary welfare mandate.
This latest addition complements the broader strategic contributions of the PAEC to Pakistan’s energy landscape.
Currently, the commission operates six commercial nuclear power plants nationwide, which collectively generate 3,530 megawatts of clean, reliable, and low-cost electricity for the national grid, playing a critical role in stabilizing the country’s energy mix and mitigating carbon emissions.
Construction work on the FHPP-05 project is already underway with a clear timeline for completion, as authorities confirm that commercial electricity generation from the plant is expected to officially commence by September 2029.
Energy experts view the project as a prudent model of resource utilization, successfully harnessing secondary potential energy from existing nuclear outfall infrastructure to bolster regional energy security.