CPEC’s Thar Coal block-1 project making rapid progress: SSRL CEO Li Jigen

KARACHI: CEO Sino Sindh Resources Private Limited (SSRL), Li Jigen said on Monday that the Thar Coal Block-1 project, which is an important part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), is making rapid progress despite all odds.

He said this during the inauguration of SSRL’s new office at The Harbour Front.

Tariq Shah, Sindh Energy Secretary, Meng Donghai, CEO of Thar Coal Block-1 Power Generation Co and Li Jigen, inaugurated SSRL’s new office at The Harbour Front.

Li Jigen, Chief Operating Officer of SSRL, a subsidiary of Shanghai Electric, said that despite the Covid-19 pandemic and other obstacles, the mega project in Thar has picked up pace in recent times.

Mr Tariq Shah, Secretary Energy Department Government of Sindh, Mr Li Jigen CEO Sino Sindh Resources Private Limited and Mr Meng Donghai, CEO of Thar Coal Block-1 Power Generation Co, perform ribbon-cutting at the office opening of SSRL here at The Harbour Front.

Tariq Shah lauded the progress made in the Thar Block-1 project which comprises a 7.8-million-tonne-per-annum (Mtpa) open-pit coal mine and installation of a 1.3 GW ultra-supercritical coal-fired power plant.

The ceremony was attended by Tariq Shah, Secretary Energy Department Government of Sindh, Li Jigen CEO Sino Sindh Resources Private Limited and Meng Donghai, CEO of Thar Coal Block-1 Power Generation Co.

It is pertinent to mention here that almost 40 percent of work related to coal mining has been completed while construction work is also in progress on the power plant.

Mining work would be completed by the end of 2021 and the first unit of the power plant would also start working from 2022. The entire project would be completed by 2023.