Engro coal power to add 660MW next year

SUKKUR: Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company – a joint venture between Engro and the provincial government – planned to double annual coal mining from Thar to 7.6 million tons that are expected to generate additional 660 megawatts till next year, its top official said on Friday.

Fazal Rizvi, chief executive officer of Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company said the company is set to double the coal output from Thar block-II mine to 7.6 million tons per annum (mtpa) next year.

“The company has achieved the financial close of phase II during the year, which would allow the production output of the mine to increase from 3.8 mtpa to 7.6 mtpa, taking the total power generation from block-II to 1,320MW by 2021,” Rizvi said in a statement to mark a year of operations of Engro Powergen Thar (Private) Limited (EPTL).

SECMC unearthed the first layer of coal the Thar block in June 2018, completed all steady state production of on-specification coal and commenced commercial operation for 3.8 mtpa output of lignite coal under phase 1 of its plan in July last year.

EPTL was formed in 2014 to set up 330MW of two power projects in Thar. The company is a joint venture between Engro Powergen (with 50.1 percent ownership), China Machinery Engineering Corporation, Habib Bank, and Liberty Mills.

EPTL CEO Manzoor Hussain said the power plant continues to operate as per agreed protocols. “Given that this was the first year and for the first time that Thar coal was being used in the country to produce electricity, several teething issues were expected. However, the performance of the plant has been as per expectation with the plant ranking high in the merit order list of power plants, and also exhibiting high dispatch order.” Ghias Khan, president of Engro Corporation said the company is determined to solve some of Pakistan’s most pressing issues and resolving the challenges in the energy value chain.

“The success of Thar coal projects herald shared triumph for both the company and the country as this achievement translates into energy security for Pakistan.”