Overview
- The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission and the Prime Minister’s Office said the dome for Chashma‑5 was successfully placed on Tuesday in a ceremony led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir in attendance.
- Dome placement is a major construction milestone that signals the reactor building’s primary structure is largely complete but does not mean fuel loading or commercial operation has started.
- C‑5 is a 1,200 MW pressurised water reactor that officials say is scheduled to start producing electricity in September 2030, a target repeated by PAEC and government sources.
- Pakistan currently runs six nuclear units that together supply 3,530 MW and PAEC officials say those plants help avoid roughly 15 million tonnes of CO2 emissions each year.
- The government framed the event as proof of close Pakistan‑China cooperation and said the unit will strengthen energy security, cut fossil‑fuel imports, and support industrial and household power needs as construction continues.