China to build new nuclear reactor in Pakistan: Report

China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) and the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) have signed an agreement to construct a nuclear reactor in Punjab province.

World Nuclear News which is supported by industry lobby World Nuclear Association said CNNC will build a "one-million-kilowatt-class nuclear power unit with HPR1000 technology" at the Chashma nuclear power plant in Pakistan.

The nuclear reactor will be the seventh nuclear power unit that China will be exporting to Pakistan and the third HPR1000, World Nuclear News said.

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The Chinese-designed HPR1000 Hualong One reactor design is under construction in China, at Fuqing units 5 and 6 and Fangchenggang units 3 and 4, the nuclear news site reported, adding,"the first Hualong One unit, Fuqing 5, is expected to start in 2019, with Fangchenggang 3 to follow the same year, and the other two units in 2020."

World Nuclear News said Chashma nuclear plant already has "four Chinese-built CNP-300 units", while "two HPR1000 units are under construction at Pakistan's Karachi nuclear power plant."

The HPR1000 is set to be constructed at Bradwell in England, the nuclear news site said. Britain's nuclear regulator is conducting a Generic Design Assessment, which is expected to take about five years, Reuters reported.

PAEC chairman Muhammad Naeem had told Reuters PAEC was in the final stages of awarding contracts for Chasmah, which would take Pakistan's nuclear capacity to about 5,000 MW when it is finished.

Naeem said Pakistan wanted to build at least 3-4 more big nuclear reactors by 2030.

China and Pakistan have already inked six pacts worth $50 billion to secure China-Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC), including one on building an airport at the strategic Gwadar port city.

The pacts deal with the increasing bilateral cooperation within the framework of China's ambitious One Belt, One Road(OBOR) initiative.

China is also set to upgrade the main railway track between Karachi and Peshawar - referred to as ML-1 or Main Line-1.

China and Pakistan have also signed an MoU to establish a dry port in Havelianin Abbottabad district.