Pakistan’s Chashma 5 Nuclear Plant has reached a major construction milestone with the installation of the reactor building’s dome at the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant site in Mianwali, Punjab. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) completed the installation on November 10, 2026. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and senior Pakistani and Chinese officials. Consequently, the project is progressing towards its planned start of electricity generation in September 2030.
The milestone marks progress on the fifth unit at the Chashma nuclear complex. The site already hosts four operating nuclear reactors. Once operational, C-5 will add 1,200MW of gross generating capacity to Pakistan’s electricity system. Consequently, it will support efforts to expand reliable, low-carbon power generation and reduce pressure on other electricity sources.
The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) is developing the project with China Zhongyuan Engineering Corporation (CZEC). The plant will use China’s Hualong One reactor design, also known as HPR1000. Meanwhile, Pakistan approved the project in 2023 at a revised cost of approximately PKR 1.048 trillion (US$3.7 billion).
Reactor Dome Installation at Chashma-5 Nuclear Power Plant in Pakistan Marks Key Milestone
The reactor dome forms part of the containment structure around the reactor and its nuclear systems. Therefore, its installation marks a key stage in completing the reactor building’s main structure. It also allows subsequent construction and equipment installation to proceed under the project schedule.
However, dome placement does not mean that the plant is ready to operate. Further work will be required on the reactor systems, mechanical and electrical equipment, instrumentation and control systems, safety-related infrastructure, testing and commissioning. The project must also meet regulatory requirements before it can begin commercial electricity generation.
The Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA) issued the C-5 construction licence on December 26, 2024. This followed its review of the preliminary safety assessment and other licensing documents. The regulator classifies the plant as a third-generation pressurised water reactor. Additionally, it will feature active and passive safety systems. These include double-shell containment and filtered reactor venting. The reactor has a stated design life of 60 years.
Pakistan’s Chashma-5 Nuclear Power Plant: Project Specifications
Chashma-5 will use China’s Hualong One (HPR1000) reactor technology. This is a pressurised water reactor designed for large-scale electricity generation. Additionally, the design incorporates multiple safety systems. It also builds on experience from earlier Chinese-designed reactors, including the K-2 and K-3 plants operating near Karachi.
Government planning documents identify a net generating capacity of approximately 1,017.5MW, compared with the plant’s gross capacity of 1,100MW in those documents. More recent project and regulatory announcements describe C-5 as a 1,200MW unit. The plant will be built at the existing Chashma nuclear site in Mianwali District, Punjab Province. The location already accommodates four operating units, giving Pakistan an established nuclear generation base and supporting the development of additional capacity within the same nuclear complex.
Pakistan-China Cooperation and Project Financing
China has played a central role in Pakistan’s civil nuclear power programme. It has supplied reactor technology and engineering support for several nuclear plants. Additionally, PAEC and China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) signed a cooperation agreement for Chashma-5 in 2017. Meanwhile, China Zhongyuan Engineering Corporation is involved in the project’s construction.
Pakistan’s Executive Committee of the National Economic Council approved C-5 in July 2023 at a revised cost of approximately PKR 1.048 trillion. Additionally, the financing structure includes a substantial foreign-exchange component and Chinese supplier credit. The approved implementation period was 81 months.
The investment also reflects Pakistan’s efforts to diversify its electricity supply through nuclear power. Nuclear plants provide continuous electricity generation. Unlike wind and solar, they are less directly affected by weather conditions. Other countries within the wider Eurasia region also continue to strengthen and diversify their electricity grid. This is as seen with Lithuania’s plan for 10 new power plants by as early as 2028 in a bid to build resilience against grid sabotage.
However, the project’s contribution to energy security will depend on successful completion, safe operation and reliable fuel supplies. Additionally, effective grid integration and long-term maintenance will be essential.
International Safeguards and Regulatory Oversight
In March 2026, the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors approved a safeguards agreement for Chashma Unit 5. According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the agreement provides for international safeguards at the plant. Additionally, it reflects Pakistan’s commitments to the peaceful use of nuclear energy and nuclear non-proliferation.
The safeguards agreement is separate from the construction licence issued by PNRA. However, both form part of the project’s regulatory oversight framework. Before electricity generation begins, the plant must also complete construction, testing and commissioning. Additionally, it must meet all required regulatory approvals.
The successful dome placement on November 10, 2026, therefore, represents progress towards the project’s next construction stages rather than the completion of the nuclear power plant.
Project Fact Sheet for Chashma-5 Nuclear Plant in Pakistan
Project: Chashma Nuclear Power Plant Unit 5 (C-5)
Location: Mianwali District, Punjab Province, Pakistan
Gross capacity: 1,200MW, as stated in current project announcements
Reactor technology: Hualong One (HPR1000), pressurized water reactor
Project owner and executing agency: Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission
Chinese project cooperation: China Zhongyuan Engineering Corporation; Chinese nuclear-sector cooperation involving CNNC
Approved project cost: Approximately PKR1.048 trillion
Construction license: Issued by PNRA on December 26, 2024
Latest milestone: Reactor dome placement completed November 10, 2026
Expected electricity generation: September 2030, according to Pakistan’s state broadcaster
Project status: Under construction
Chashma-5 Nuclear Plant in Pakistan: Principal Companies
Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC): Project owner and executing agency.
China Zhongyuan Engineering Corporation (CZEC): Chinese engineering cooperation partner.
China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC): Chinese nuclear-sector partner with a longstanding cooperation role in Pakistan’s nuclear programme.
Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA): National regulator responsible for nuclear safety and licensing.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) : International safeguards oversight.
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