Pakistan's largest coal mining company has said that coal production from Thar mines is expected to increase by 51.3 percent in 2024, helping to reduce energy imports and fuel costs and improve finances. In a conversation with the International news agency, the CEO of the coal mining company said that in 2024, the production of coal is to be increased to 1.15 million tons, which is expected to be 7.6 million tons this year. It will also try to increase the power plants that are currently running entirely on imported coal to use 20 to 25 percent local coal in these power plants.

Pakistan, a country of more than 230 million people, relies mainly on natural gas to generate electricity, but wants to increase local coal production to save costs. According to the report of Global Energy Monitor, an international organization that oversees energy projects in the world, Pakistan has the largest number of coal power projects in China after Indonesia and Bangladesh. China has built $15.6 billion coal power projects in Indonesia, $9.6 billion in Bangladesh and $7.3 billion in Pakistan.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)