Minister for Energy Khurram Dastgir Khan said that total electricity generation from locally produced Thar coal will jump to 1,320 MW with the addition of 330 MW by ThalNova Power Thar Limited's plant in December.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formally inaugurated the 330 MW HUBCO Thar Coal Power Plant. This has increased the electricity generation to 990 MW from local Thar coal, the minister said while addressing a press conference. He said people have started getting dividends from the projects launched in 2014. Some 660 MW of electricity has already been supplied to the national grid since 2019 through local Thar coal.

The minister said that another 1,320 MW Shanghai Electric Thar Coal Power Project under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will start generation before the next summer, which will help in doubling electricity generation to 2640 MW.

He said Thar coal reserves are a blessing for the entire country, adding that as per initial estimates, the reserves stood at 175 billion metric tons. The Thar coal reserves spread over an area of over 100 square kilometers and are divided into 13 blocks, he added.

The minister said currently out of the 13 blocks, only two have been opened. Presently, three power plants with an accumulative capacity of 990 MW have been operationalized on local Thar coal, he added.

He said the coal price in the international market has surged to $400 per ton, while Thar coal will be available at only $40 per ton. Thar coal-based power plants will also help reduce the cost of electricity, he added.

He said the Thar coal power plant project was the best example of a public-private partnership in the country. Special attention is also being paid to ensure that the coal-based power projects has no effect on the environment, he added.

He said 20% of Thar coal can also be used in the already established coal power plants including Sahiwal and Port Qasim as per the technical study. The coal could also be used for getting diesel besides in cement and fertilizers industries, he added.

Khurram said the prime minister has already approved a project to link Islamkot (a tehsil in Thar district) with Hyderabad through a railway track in the next six months. It will play a key role in the effective transportation of coal in the country through railway, he added.

Replying to a question, he said a transmission line has already been laid to evacuate 2,640 MW of electricity from Thar coal-based power projects. However, work is being carried out to lay a new transmission line for evacuation of power from future projects, he added.

To another question, the minister said that the cost of electricity has decreased after shutting down all expensive power plants. This is due to the decline in electricity demand and the change in weather. Relief is being passed on to consumers as only 22 paisa per unit fuel cost adjustment is charged in the current month’s billing compared to Rs 9.89 per unit in June.

He said the average cost of electricity will also decrease with the increase of electricity from Thar coal.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk