Pakistan has excellent safety record in nuclear power operations and accords highest priority to safety in its nuclear facilities, said Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) Chairman Anwar Ali. Our safeguards record has remained immaculate over the past several decades and a comprehensive export control act is in place to ensure control over materials, goods, technologies and equipment related to nuclear and biological weapons and their delivery systems, Ali said while addressing the 51st General Conference of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as head of Pakistan s delegation at Vienna, Austria. According to a message received in Islamabad, the PAEC chief said Pakistan had benefited a lot from the nuclear safety expertise available through the IAEA and added that with growing emphasis on meeting higher standards of safety, international cooperation is essential for necessary equipment to ensure safety and reliability of nuclear facilities. Pakistan is amongst the top beneficiaries of IAEA Technical Assistance and Cooperation Programme and on its part has made contribution towards the Agency s promotional activities by sharing its experience, providing services of experts, offering training placements in Pakistani institutions and conducting training courses, Ali said. The PAEC chairman said nuclear power remains the largest impact area of nuclear technology on the socio-economic development, as it provides the much needed security of energy supply for energy deficient countries to meet the needs of industrial development. Ali said with climate change threats becoming a reality, nuclear power is the best option as the clean source of energy and added a greater share of nuclear power in the energy mix of developing nations will certainly help meet the challenges posed by global warming but it required the active support of industrialized nations for setting up these nuclear plants. He said the government of Pakistan has chalked out a plan to expand power generation to meet the demand of its growing economy and the share of nuclear power in the energy mix is 8800 MW by the year 2030. Pakistan can raise the level of nuclear power in its energy mix provided there is support from international community, the PAEC chief said. Ali said to support the planned expansion of nuclear power in Pakistan we have embarked upon establishment of a uranium conversion and enrichment facility to cater to the fuel needs of our nuclear power plants. This facility will be under IAEA safeguards, he said, adding, We sincerely appreciate the Chinese government for their cooperation in the area of nuclear power.
