administration to lessen the dependence on energy infrastructure depended on Saudi oil aid and oil imports from UAE. In 1984–85, Pakistan reached out to Soviet Union over the funding of the project which the Russians were receptive of the offer but decided against participating in the project. In 1986, Pakistan eventually entered in understanding with China when it signed an agreement on peaceful usage of commercial nuclear power technology. In 1989, China announced to sell of the reactor but the nuclear power plant did not operationalise due the PAEC scientists and engineers, who eventually designed the reactor based on CNP-300 in China, and had to conduct several lengthy testing and pass PAEC required regulation phases, since China did not have the experience to sustain such a large and highly complex project— the experience Pakistan learned from running the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant. In 1990, the discussion over the funding of nuclear power plant was again held with France, which the French government agreed upon supplying a nuclear power reactor but later decided against it due to financial funding. In 1992, Pakistan eventually signed an agreement with China and construction of the nuclear power plant site begin in 1993 with China and Pakistan financing US$900 Mn for this project. In 2000, the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant became operational when it joined the nation's grid system with China National Nuclear Corporation overseeing the grid connections of the power plant. In 2004, the China National Nuclear Corporation was awarded contract for building a second unit based on the first reactor, followed by contracting for two more reactors in 2011. Reactor technology C1 and C2 The first reactor unit, C1, is a 300-MW two-loop pressurized water reactor (PWR), using between 2.4—3.0% low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel. Its design is based on the Chinese CNP-300 reactor with PAEC scientists and engineers designed in China with their nation's standards and regulations. It is the first Chinese export of a nuclear power plant. The reactor has a thermal capacity of 999 MW and a gross electrical capacity of 325 MW, with a net output of about 300 MW. Since its commissioning in 2000, the reactor has been kept at 90.3% capacity factor, generating 2,335.5 GW-h of electricity as of 2019. The first reactor unit went on critical phase on 2 May 2000 and joined the nation's electricity grid system on 12 June 2000; it commenced its official operations