ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission On Wednesday clarified that Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) were not shut down due to any internal fault but was caused by tripping of Ludewala-Gatti and Daud-Khel(DK)-Peshawar lines.
In a press statement issued here, the PAEC spokesperson said during the power swing, the CNPGS-DK line-2 at DK end and CNPGS-Bannu lines at Bannu end also tripped which resulted in tripping of the plants.
The spokesperson said that stability of the power transmission grid is essential for the operation of NPPs.
These nuclear power plants may be reconnected to the grid only after passing through all steps of the essential safety protocols and this whole process takes some time. Therefore, stability of the grid is of prime importance for the safe operation of nuclear power plants.
The spokesperson added that the maintenance of grid-lines is mandatory for the safe operation of these nuclear power plants and stability in the transmission lines of the national grid may be ensured to avoid any adverse effect on the plants. He said that the capacity factors of these plants are over 90 per cent and may be increased if grid stability is ensured.
He said that all four units of Chashma have been connected to the grid on May 2 after the NTDC gave green signal for grid stability.
The PAEC spokesperson said that the country faced acute power shortfall since early morning of last Tuesday as the NTDC grid lines tripped suddenly.
Due to this break in the electrical transmission lines of the national grid, all four nuclear power units at Chashma Nuclear Power station were safely tripped automatically after actuation of in-built safety feature.
