Thar Coal could save 5 to 6 bln dollars to Pakistan: PM

THARPARKER: Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Monday said that Thar Coal could save five to six billion dollars of Pakistan, ARY News reported.

PM inaugurated a 330-megawatt coal power plant under CPEC Block II in district Tharparkar today.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony, PM Shehbaz said that Thar coal will generate electricity with 10 rupees per unit.

“It is a project, which is being completed with modern technology,” Shehbaz Sharif said. “These coal power plants would not create pollution,” he said.

“The region have massive 175 billion tonnes of coal deposits, it is a treasure in Thar,” the prime minister said. “Brilliant projects are being installed here for power generation. Women here operating RO plants, people getting jobs,” the PM lauding the effort in Thar said.

“In Pakistan 4,000-megawatt electricity being generated with coal,” Shehbaz said.

“Pakistan spending 24 billion dollars to meet its energy requirement,” he said. “The gas has become very expensive and out of our purchasing power. It will be a collective mistake if we fail to utilize this massive deposit of coal,” Pakistan’s prime minister said.

“We have to join hands to take steps, the coal can be transported with a coordinated system of railway,” he said. “The rail project will help in transportation of coal to every part of the country. This project could save the country’s five to six billion dollars in a year”.

“I will summon a session of stakeholders over the matter,” Shehbaz said.

Earlier, Chief Minister of Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah in a detailed briefing said that generating electricity from Thar Coal required an extensive road network, bridges and an airport.

The Chief Minister said that the Sindh government has built the infrastructure of Thar by spending 750 million dollars.

According to the geological Survey of Pakistan, Thar coal has 175 billion tons of coal reserves, and it has a total of 13 blocks, we are working on Block I and Block II, he said.