PAEC Foundation Signs Contract for 5MW Hydropower Plant at Chashma-5

Hamid Khan Wazir

ISLAMABAD: The PAEC Foundation has signed a contract to develop a 5MW hydropower plant at the outfall of the Chashma-5 Nuclear Power Plant, marking another step in expanding Pakistan’s clean and renewable energy capacity.

The Foundation Hydel Power Plant Unit-05 (FHPP-05) is expected to generate around 30.66 million kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually for the national grid once operational. Electricity generation from the project is scheduled to commence by September 2029.

The project will utilise the available hydropower potential at the Chashma-5 site, promoting more efficient use of water resources and supporting sustainable power generation.

The contract was signed at PAEC Headquarters between the PAEC Foundation and a joint venture comprising China Ocean Engineering Construction Corporation Ltd., Ningbo Water Conservancy and Hydro Power Planning and Design Institute Co., Ltd., and Habib Rafique Engineering (Pvt.) Ltd.

The FHPP-05 project will complement the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission’s broader contribution to the country’s energy sector by adding renewable generation capacity to its existing portfolio.

PAEC’s six nuclear power plants currently have a combined generation capacity of 3,530MW, supplying clean, sustainable and low-cost electricity to the national grid. The new hydropower project will further expand the PAEC Foundation’s renewable energy portfolio while an additional 5MW of clean electricity.