ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Pakistan and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have signed a safeguards agreement for the 1,200-megawatt Chashma-5 nuclear power plant, marking an important step in the development of the country’s nuclear energy programme.
Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) Chairman Dr Raja Ali Raza Anwar and IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi signed the agreement, according to an official statement.
China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA) Chairman Shan Zhongde also attended the signing ceremony.
The IAEA Board of Governors had unanimously approved the safeguards agreement for Chashma-5, also known as C-5, in March 2026.
Safeguards agreements allow the IAEA to apply verification measures to nuclear material and facilities covered by the arrangements to ensure their use remains consistent with declared peaceful purposes.
According to the statement, the agreement reflects Pakistan’s commitment to the peaceful use of nuclear technology and its applicable international non-proliferation obligations.
Chashma-5 targeted for 2028 power generation
Construction work on Chashma-5 is progressing rapidly, with the installation of the reactor building dome completed ahead of schedule, the statement said.
The 1,200MW nuclear power plant is expected to begin electricity generation in 2028.
Once operational, C-5 is expected to add a substantial amount of baseload electricity to Pakistan’s national grid while expanding the share of low-carbon nuclear energy in the country's power mix.
Authorities say the project will contribute to the availability of affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity.
Nuclear capacity set for major expansion
Pakistan currently operates six nuclear power plants with a combined generation capacity of approximately 3,530MW.
The addition of Chashma-5 would take the country's installed nuclear generation capacity to around 4,730MW, representing an increase of roughly 34 per cent over the existing level.
Nuclear power has become an important component of Pakistan’s electricity-generation portfolio because plants can provide continuous baseload electricity while producing comparatively low operational carbon emissions.
The development of C-5 is therefore significant not only for Pakistan's nuclear programme but also for its longer-term efforts to strengthen energy security and diversify electricity generation.
Pakistan-China nuclear cooperation
The signing ceremony also highlighted Pakistan's longstanding cooperation with China in the peaceful use of nuclear technology.
The PAEC chairman and the chairman of the China Atomic Energy Authority held a meeting on the sidelines of the event and discussed prospects for future cooperation in peaceful nuclear applications.
China has played an important role in the development of Pakistan’s civilian nuclear power infrastructure, including the Chashma nuclear power complex.