ISLAMABAD, June 20 (Reuters) - Pakistan and China signed a $4.8 billion deal on Tuesday to build a 1,200-megawatt nuclear power plant, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said, hailing the investment by a country that Pakistan views as its most dependable ally.
Pakistan's total nuclear energy production capacity rose to 1,400 mw, when the country's sixth nuclear power plant opened two years ago.
Located in the southern port city of Karachi, that 1,100 mw plant was also constructed with Chinese assistance.
It is unclear whether the new investment is part of the $65 billion that China has pledged in infrastructure building for Pakistan under its Belt and Road Initiative.
Instead, he said, the Chinese had disbursed an initial 30 billion Pakistani rupees ($104.53 million) to start the project.
Persons:
Shehbaz Sharif, Sharif, Asif Shahzad, Simon Cameron, Moore
Organizations:
PTV, China National Nuclear Cooperation, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, Initiative, Thomson
Locations:
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, China, Punjab, Karachi