Thar coal plant starts electricity generation

THAR: The Thar Coal Power Project started electricity production on Tuesday with 330MW of power being provided to the national grid.

A spokesperson of the Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) hailed the development as "historic" and said that initially 330MW will be produced and distributed to the national grid.

He added that the production of electricity will be done in stages.

“Thar has [one] of the world's largest reserves of coal with 175 billion tonnes,” he said. “We reached the target of producing electricity three months before the deadline.”

Pakistan discovered the Thar coalfields in 1991. These contain the world’s seventh largest coal reserves of 175 billion tonnes, more than the combined oil reserves of Saudi Arabia and Iran, and 68 times higher than Pakistan’s total gas reserves. SECMC is a group of seven stakeholders including the government of Sindh with 51 percent majority stake as well as Engro, the Habib Group and Hubco.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah congratulated the start of the project, “What a great day for Pakistan! The first 330MW power plant based on Thar coal synced with National Grid. Grateful to Almighty Allah, and humbled to have been able to play a small part as Sindh is firmly putting Pakistan on the road to energy security!”

Former Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal also posted about the project getting under way.

“Congrats! Thar’s first coal power project is in production. Thar coal deposits equal to Saudi Arabia’s and Iran’s oil deposits energy value. For 70 yrs these were untouched. #PMLN govt secured financing under #CPEC for Thar mining and power projects and today dream is reality,” he tweeted.

Deputy Chief of Mission at the Chinese Embassy Zhao Lijian wrote, “Warmest congratulations! Thar Coal block II power plant successfully synchronised the first of the two units. It is a joint venture by Engro & CMEC under CPEC. It has made history as Pakistan is now producing electricity by Thar coal.”