Private Power Infrastructure Board (PPIB) is allowed by the government to execute agreements with private investors on 3,000MW local coal-fired power plants in Thar (Sindh).
Meeting of the PPIB Board presided over by Minister for Power Division, Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari decided this. According to an official statement, while settling multiple matters regarding smooth implementation of power projects, the Board decided to allow execution of Implementation Agreements and Supplemental to Implementation Agreements with the power generation projects based on Thar coal; thus allowing the PPIB to sign these agreements for smooth and earliest implementation of their projects.
These projects include 1320MW Thar Block-I Power Generation Co (Shanghai Electric Power Co), 330MW Thar Energy (HUBCO) Power Project, 330MW Thal Nova Thar Power Project, 660MW Lucky Electric Power Co and 330 MW Siddiqsons Energy Limited.
The projects of M/s Lucky Electric Power and Siddiqsons Energy were initially approved on imported coal but later on the government refused to honor its earlier commitment with the investors and forced them to opt for Thar coal.
Though the Prime Minister had slapped ban on establishment of imported–fuel fired power plants but one “dear” project based on imported coal was approved in Rahimyar Khan.
The minister for Power Division while presiding over the meeting said that all efforts should be made to promote the local coal and any action should not in any way affect or delay the pace of mining at Thar. He said that any temporary arrangement to use imported coal should be well monitored and the plant design should be based on Thar coal specifications for use of indigenous coal.
