KARACHI – The Sindh government has scrapped the plan to set up a coal-based power project for production of at least 50MW from the vast natural reserves in the Lakhra coalmine in Jamshoro, it has been learnt.
Well-placed sources in the Sindh Coal and Energy Development Department told Pakistan Today that the government had included the feasibility study for establishment of a 50MW coal-fired power plant in the Lakhra coalfield in the budget for 2010-11 with an allocation of at least Rs 2 million. However, the scheme remained unapproved and was dropped without any solid reasons by the authorities concerned at a recent meeting of the Thar Coal and Energy Board (TCEB).
They said that by dropping the scheme, the Sindh government has shown it is not serious in power generation from the coal reserves.
The Lakhra coalfield is situated 48 km north-west of Hyderabad in the Dadu district. The coalfield is connected by a metalled road with the Indus Highway, which runs along the Indus River right bank while a standard-gauge single rail track is also available near Khanot village at a distance of about 17 km from the proposed project area.
Water is available also as the Indus River flows at a distance of 35 km to the east of the coalfield. A high voltage 132 kV power transmission line is also accessible at 25 km.
John T Boyd Company had estimated the mineable coal reserves in the area at 122 million tonnes while estimating the total combined resources of the north and south Lakhra coalfield at 305 million tonnes. However, the Sindh Coal Authority has measured the coal reserves at 246 tonnes and indicated a total reserve of 1,328 million tonnes.
The establishment of power plants in Lakhra is easier and more feasible as compared to the Thar coal project, as the development of Thar coal would take years due to lack of basic infrastructure like water, roads and rail networks, transmission lines, sources added. In early 1960s, the US Geological Survey had performed a systematic geological investigation of the Lakhra coalfield, after which then Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation carried out various tests and found the coal suitable for power generation.
In 1978, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) carried out additional technical, financial and economical feasibility study and concluded that a 300 MW plant was feasible.
