NUCLEAR ENERGY
By
Sajida Mansoor (Research Fellow)
Energy is vital to human progress. It strengthens national security of a state by providing it economic prosperity. Nuclear energy can play a key role in ensuring a sustainable energy future for Pakistan. This article argues that Pakistan is a responsible nuclear weapons state that has the right to peaceful use of nuclear energy and as well as can play a positive role in nuclear energy joint ventures, particularly if it is incorporated effectively in the international non-proliferation regime. This article has focused on three points of concern for Pakistan that need to be pursued in the negotiations by Pakistani leadership at different national and international forums. First, Pakistan should be accommodated in international non-proliferation regime as a responsible nuclear weapon state having an effective command and control infrastructure. Second, the nuclear security debate should give a careful consideration to the fact that nuclear energy trade should not be hampered while making efforts to avoid nuclear proliferation. Finally, it argues that Pakistan has the capability to play a critical role in multilateral nuclear arrangements.
There is need of careful consideration to the notion of expansion of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. The right to peaceful use of nuclear energy should not be at stake and efforts should be made to assure that nuclear energy trade would not get interruption due to steps taken for reducing proliferation risks.
Pakistan is an active member of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and has maintained its indigenous nuclear power program since 1966 and has managed to develop an effective command and control infrastructure. As mentioned in their latest Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), U.S. is committed to support expanding access to the benefits of peaceful nuclear technology without increasing proliferation risks. Therefore, the efforts made by Pakistan in this context as a responsible state are positive actions outlining Pakistan’s right to access the world nuclear energy trade market.
In NPR, it is stated that President Obama had called for the development of a new framework for international nuclear energy cooperation, which the U.S. was pursuing with the international non-proliferation regime through the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) that includes 25 partner and 31 observer nations. It is stated in the report that this new structure should take in international fuel banks, such as the Russian Angarsk fuel bank approved by the IAEA in February 2010, multilateral fuel supply assurances, agreements by suppliers to take back spent fuel, and spent fuel repositories to reduce incentives for countries to pursue indigenous fuel cycle facilities. According to the report, U.S. will also continue to assist other countries in gaining advantage from the other peaceful applications of nuclear materials, including for medical and agricultural uses and pure research. (Text of Nuclear Posture Review Report, April 2010, U.S. Department of Defense).
A two-pronged approach had been under consideration of the IAEA to tighten up the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT). First approach is to strengthen the international nuclear non-proliferation regime while the other is to make the peaceful uses of nuclear energy more economical and attractive. Following this trend, in 2004 the then IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei appointed an international experts group to consider the possible multilateral nuclear approaches (MNA). According to the IAEA Experts Report of 2005, there are number of options available to have multilateral nuclear fuel arrangements to acquire the assurances of supply. The proposal of multilateral approaches is a golden opportunity for Pakistan to pace with other nations in nuclear affairs as it has self-sufficiency in civilian fuel cycle arrangements if it is accepted as a supplier state in multilateral arrangements by international non-proliferation regime.
Following worldwide concern in regard to carbon emissions by other energy sources, renewed interest in nuclear energy as clean source led to a desire by many countries to adopt programs of nuclear power production. This is called the ‘nuclear renaissance’ in which developing countries are deeply interested. Pakistan has the capability of operating a full nuclear fuel cycle, whereas enriched uranium for use as fuel in a nuclear power plant can be produced. By virtue of this capability, Pakistan can process raw uranium into Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) which can be used in nuclear power plant for producing energy for electricity. Pakistan also subscribes to the concept of nuclear power parks, one of the five multilateral approaches to the nuclear fuel cycle as suggested by the Expert Group constituted by the Director General IAEA in INFCIRC/640.
Pakistan is a responsible member of IAEA and has all its civilian facilities under the IAEA safeguards. It has established its National Command Authority (NCA) to ensure the safety and security of its nuclear arsenal. It has established Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA) as an independent regulatory body to implement the safeguard agreements with IAEA. Pakistan is also a signatory of Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, Convention on Nuclear Safety, Convention on Early Notification of Nuclear Accident and Convention on Assistance in case of Radiological Emergency. This background in fact, provides the rationale for Pakistan to be considered by International non-proliferation regime for future policies of the nuclear renaissance as a responsible nuclear state. Pakistan has developed its nuclear power plants, enrichment and reprocessing facilities. It has enough expert manpower in the nuclear related technology and affairs. Therefore, Pakistan can participate in the multilateral approaches to nuclear fuel cycle as a supplier state. Pakistan has a huge peaceful nuclear program with application of nuclear technology in power generation, medicine, agriculture and research and development.