KARACHI:* Power generation from Thar’s Block-1 is significantly more cost-effective than hydropower, with a production cost of just *Rs5.52 per unit, stated *Sino Sindh Resources Pvt Ltd (SSRL) CEO Li Jigen during a public hearing held by the Thar Coal and Energy Board (TCEB) on Thursday.
The hearing, conducted by *TCEB Managing Director Tariq Ali Shah, **Presiding Officer Ammar Habib Khan (Member Finance/Power), and **Dr. Fahad Irfan Siddiqui (Member Mining Thar Coal Tariff Determination Committee), focused on SSRL’s petition for determining the *commercial operations date (COD) stage tariff for its 7.8 million tonnes per annum lignite mine at Thar Coalfield Block-1.
Key Highlights of the Project:
🔹 Massive Reserves: The 150 km² open-pit coal mine at Block-1 holds 2.6 billion tonnes of lignite coal.
🔹 Power Generation Capacity: The project features 2×660MW high-parameter, super-critical coal-fired power units.
🔹 Competitive Pricing: At *Rs5.52 per unit (0.02 cents per kWh), it ranks favorably on the *National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) merit order list.
🔹 Strategic Importance: The Thar Block-1 Integrated Energy Project is a flagship initiative under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the *Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), developed and funded by *Shanghai Electric, a state-owned enterprise based in China.
Mr. Li emphasized that the project strengthens *Pakistan’s energy security, providing a *cost-effective and reliable alternative to expensive power sources while maximizing the country’s indigenous energy potential.
Story by Shahid Iqbal
