Pakistan has connected K-2 -- a nuclear power plant in Karachi with 1100 megawatt--to the national grid, announced the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), taking the number of nuclear power plants it operates to six. 

The new plant enhanced the existing power capacity, generated by nuclear plants, to 2500 megawatts- an increase of 77 percent from earlier capacity. The PAEC started put loads in the plant in December last year. 

In a statement, the PAEC called the plant a ‘gift to the nation’ on the occasion of Pakistan Day. Another nuclear plant, K 3, in the same location, is still under construction. The construction is likely to be completed by the year-end and then the plant would soon be connected to the national grid.    

This new addition, the PAEC claimed, would help improve the country’s economy. Earlier, the collective power generation capacity of all the five plants was just 1400 megawatts, the latest plant is the biggest addition so far.