Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: The Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS), Islamabad, hosted an international seminar titled “Pakistan’s Energy Crisis: Role of Nuclear Power,” aimed at raising awareness about the importance of nuclear energy socioeconomic development and its role in mitigating climate change.
The seminar featured keynote addresses delivered by distinguished speakers including Dr Khaqan Hassan Najeeb, Former Advisor, Ministry of Finance, Tauseef H. Farooqi, Former Chairman, NEPRA, and. Mushahid Hussain Syed, former Senator. Dr. Henri Paillere, Head of the Planning and Economic Studies Section, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was also one of the speakers on the virtual medium. Participants were from both national and international organizations including the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), IAEA, different think tanks, and universities.
The seminar bringing together stakeholders from different organisations highlighted the achievements of Pakistan’s peaceful nuclear program and its contribution to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and 13 (Climate Change) and emphasized the need for increasing utilization of nuclear energy in Pakistan’s power mix, to address socioeconomic challenges and mitigating climate change.
In his keynote address, Dr. Khaqan Najeeb emphasized the need to reorganize the energy architecture of the country by ending the slab-based tariff and instead incentivizing the use of electricity because currently, Pakistan was facing the issue of reduced demand in the use of electricity by the industrial and domestic sectors alike while the generation capacity stood over 45000MW.
On the occasion, Mr. Tauseef H. Farooqi former Chairman of NEPRA said the only criterion in selecting which electron is the most suitable should be the one which is affordable, reliable and sustainable and nuclear fulfils all these characteristics. He added that expertise gained by PAEC in operating and maintaining (O&M) nuclear power plants in Pakistan should be exploited and utilized in providing O&M services to countries which are boarding civilian nuclear power now and in future.
He stressed that after COP29, the commitment to triple the carbon-free energy all over the world, the importance of nuclear power has further enhanced being emission-free and sustainable source.
The seminar was addressed online by Dr. Henri Paillere, Head of Planning & Financing Studies at IAEA who assessed the pros and cons of nuclear power and stressed that nuclear was a long-term solution which is sustainable and its advantages outweighed the disadvantages of high capital cost.
He also quoted the International Energy Agency (IEA) that “Without nuclear, it is very hard to reach our target of emission and carbon-free energy”.
Dr. Afia Malik of PIDE also addressed the seminar and said that after the decision of the govt to discontinue the supply of gas to captive power plants, nuclear presents a viable option.
Irfan Tariq, former DG Ministry of Climate Change, highlighted the climate change issues and the role of nuclear power in its mitigation.
Syed Muhammad Ali, a prominent analyst, spoke about the role of nuclear power in energy security.
Ambassador Aizaz Chaudhary, former Foreign Secretary and Syed Akhtar Ali former member Planning Commission chaired the sessions.
Eminent politician and Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed addressing the seminar paid rich tribute to scientists associated with the nuclear program of the country and stressed that it is important for Pakistan to shift from fossil fuel to clean options including nuclear power.
He acknowledged that nuclear power is clean, and green and would work as a stimulus for socio-economic growth.
