CM orders quick progress on Thar power projects

Karachi
The Sindh chief minister ordered the Thar Coal and Energy Board on Sunday to urgent steps remove the bottlenecks hindering the progress of power projects launched in Tharparkar.
“We have to produce power from Thar coal. This was envisioned by Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and I am committed to make it come true,” Qaim Ali Shahsaid while presiding over the 19th Thar Coal and Energy Board meeting at the Chief Minister’s House.
The meeting was attended by finance and energy minister Murad Ali Shah, MNA Shazia Marri, chief secretary Siddique Memon, MPA Rubina Qaim Khani, energy secretary Agha Wasif, and Thar Coal and Energy Board managing director Aijaz Ahmed Khan.
Giving a presentation to the chief minister, Aijaz Ahmed said the Sino-Sindh Global Mining had been allocated block I in the Thar coal field where it had launched a $0.85 million open-pit coal mining project of 6.5 tons per annum and would also install four power plants, each producing 330MW, at a cost of $1.1 billion.
It has already completed bankable feasibility in March 2102. A memorandum of understanding has been signed with the Shanghai Electric Power for coal supply and now an agreement placed for this purpose.
Ahmed said block II has been given to the Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company in which Sindh government owns 51 percent shares and had signed a coal supply agreement with Engro Power Thar Ltd.
Its coal tariff has been approved by the board. An agreement for local financing of Rs5 billion has also been signed. The company has started clearing the block for open-pit coal mining. Its financial close is expected by the end of this month. The chief minister directed the chief secretary to personally monitor the issues of land acquiring, if any, and payments must be made on time.
The managing director said the block V of the field, where Dr Samar Mubarak Mand has launched the underground coal gasification project and power plant, 38 bore holes had been drilled and test burn conducted in December 2011 and syngas now being produced. A purification plant has been procured and a power plant that would produce eight to 10 MW is being installed.
The chief minister directed the finance minister to invite Dr Mand so that eh could brief the board about the technical aspects of his project.
Ahmed further said the block VI had been given to UK-based Oracle Coal-fields and it had completed its feasibility report and planning to start mining by the end of this year.
An agreement has been signed with the K-Electric for the supply of 300MW and with SEPCO China for a 30MW power plant.
Harbin Electric Company, China has been selected through international competitive bid for block IV. The company plans 6.5mtpa mining and two powers projects of 600MW each. The board has given them an exploration licence for preparing a feasibility study for one year on March 27, 2015.
The Block III A and B have been given to the Asia Power Group Ltd through international bidding.
It too plans 6.5mtpa mining and installing 1,110MW mine-mouth power plants.
Shamsuddin Shaikh, the CEO of the SECMC, said his firm had set up an initial open-cast mine of 3.8mtpa and would establish two power plants, each producing 330 MW within 42 months at a cost of $845 million.