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Karachi nuclear power plant 1

Retired Pakistan
Gross capacity
100MW

Karachi nuclear power plant 1 is a pressurised heavy water reactor unit at Karachi nuclear power plant in Pakistan rated at 100 MW gross. It is retired. Commercial operation began 7 Dec 1972.

Specification
Reactor type Pressurised heavy water reactor (PHWR)
ModelCANDU-137 MW
Size classLarge
CoolantHeavy water
ModeratorHeavy water
Gross capacity100MW
Net capacity (reference)90MW
Net capacity (design)125MW
Thermal output337MWt
Typical enrichmentNatural uranium, 0.71% U-235
Ownership & location
SiteKarachi nuclear power plant
Unit1
CountryPakistan
OwnerPakistan Atomic Energy Commission100%
OperatorPakistan Atomic Energy Commission
Coordinates 24.8450, 66.7888
Fuel chain for this unit
Fuel form
Natural uranium dioxide bundles
Enrichment
Natural uranium, 0.71% U-235 no enrichment required
Who makes this assembly
Upstream

This unit runs on natural uranium, so its fuel chain has no enrichment step at all: mine → mill → conversion → fabrication. That is the shortest fuel chain of any commercial reactor type, and it makes the operator independent of the four organisations that control enrichment worldwide.

Conversion
CamecoCNNCConverDynOranoRosatom
Fabricator capability is recorded against reactor type and model line, not against named units — utilities do not publish fuel contracts. See the fuel chain.

Timeline

  1. 1 Aug 1966Construction start
  2. 1 Aug 1971First criticality
  3. 18 Oct 1971Grid connection
  4. 7 Dec 1972Commercial operation
  5. 1 Aug 2021Permanent shutdown

Other units at Karachi nuclear power plant

UnitStatusGross MW
Karachi nuclear power plant 2 Operating 1,100
Karachi nuclear power plant 3 Operating 1,100

Sources