The National Transmission and Despatch Company has completed the PC-I of of Rs 20 billion with detailed technical designs for the transmission line from Thar to Matiari and submitted it to the Planning Commission.
The federal government was urged to arrange funding for this critical project either from PSDP or from international lenders including the Asian Development Bank, the China Development Bank or Japan International Cooperation Agency.
During the 14th meeting of Thar Coal and Energy Board was held at the Chief Minister’s House on Saturday, it was also informed that the Sindh government is financing and executing infrastructure projects like roads, water supply, waste water disposal, airport and reverse osmosis plants for potable water on a fast track basis in Thar.
The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah.
Federal Minister for Water and Power Naveed Qamar, Sindh Minister for Finance Murad Ali Shah, Sindh Board of Investment Chairman M Zubair Motiwala, Water and Power Secretary Imtiaz Hussain Qazi, Chief Secretary Raja Muhammad Abbas, MNA Rubina Saadat Qaimkhani and Coal and Energy Development Department Secretary Mohammad Younus Dagha were present at the meeting.
The chief minister said the government is fully committed towards the development of Thar coal, which has the potential of turning the country’s economy around. Thar coal can be used for power generation, chemical production and other uses and has
the potential of providing energy security to the country.
The water and power secretary said the next meeting of the board will be held in March. The group is likely to finalise financial assistance for Thar Block II Coal Mining and Power Project of the Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company during its upcoming meeting.
The Sindh Board of Investment chairman said the four companies – China Three Gorges Corporation, Thar Coal and Power Consortia, Tae Ryun Co Ltd and Australasian Continental Energy Ltd – have submitted proposals for coal mining and power generation projects in Thar. Besides, a US-based consortium, Thar Pak, has also submitted a proposal to develop coal-based projects. He further briefed the forum about the proposed projects of all companies and their technical and financial strength. On the recommendations of the Evaluation Committee, the Thar Coal and Energy Board approved the allocation of Block IV of Thar coalfield to China Three Gorges Corporation, which will develop an open pit mine of 20 million tonnes per year and mine-mouth power plant of 3000MW in two phases. In the first phase by 2016, they will develop 10 million tonnes per year mine and power plant of 1,500MW.
Shahrukh Khan, the chief executive officer of the Oracle Coalfields, UK presented a detailed feasibility study for coal mining and power generation project at Block VI of the Thar coalfield.
The Oracle Coalfields, UK is investing $610 million for a coal mine of five million tonnes per year capacity. Oracle has also signed an agreement with the KESC to develop a 300 MW mine-mouth power plant with the plan to develop up to 1100MW at the Block VI site. Initial coal production is expected in 2014 with mine development in to be started by end of 2012. The board members appreciated the work of Oracle Coalfields and assured it government’s support. Dr Samar Mubarakmand, chairman of the Underground Coal Gasification Project, briefed the board members about the progress of its R&D Project of Underground Coal Gasification at Block V of Thar Coalfield and informed that the syngas of 130btu is being produced from Thar that may be used for power
generation and also as town gas. The board decided that the international expression of interest should be called by the Private Power Infrastructure Board and the Thar Coal and Energy Board to attract private sector for installing UCG-based power plants and use syngas in other ways.
