KARACHI, Oct 26: The protocol for setting up Thar Coal Power Project between Pakistan and China would be signed by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz during his coming visit to China as all initial studies have almost completed to the satisfaction of the stakeholders.
This was stated by Sindh Minister for Mines and Mineral Development Irfanullah Khan Marwat on Tuesday. Responding to the questions he told Dawn some more foreign firms, including two other Chinese firms had shown interest to install coal-fired power plants in Sonda and Jhirak coal reserves.
The minister said that the Chinese firms had also shown interest in Lakhra Coal-fired Power plant, which had been producing 38mw electricity against its capacity of 150mw. The plant had been floated for privatization.
Referring to the meeting of steering committee, which held deliberation on the pre-feasibility report regarding Thar Coal reserves block-II, the minister said that the report was prepared by the German firm "RWE Group" which was allotted the Thar coal reserves block-II.
He said that the German group had shown interest to install a power plant with 1000 mw capacity. He expressed the hope that the feasibility of the project would be finalized by the end of November.
In addition to the German group, he said two Australian and one US company had also shown interest in remaining two blocks of Thar coal reserves and the steering committee was seized with the offers.
To another question Mr Marwat said besides him other members of the steering committee are secretary mines and mineral development Sindh, director general of mines and mineral development, director general, Survey of Pakistan, additional chief secretary (planning and development), Director General Sindh Coal Authority and Director General Mines and Mineral Development, Government of Pakistan.
In reply to yet another question, the minister said that the proposed meeting of Thar Task Force, which was headed by the Prime Minister could not be materialized due to pre-occupation of the Prime Minister but now it would meet during the current week and decide the power rates of the electricity to be produced from Thar Coal Power project.
Mr Marwat, who led an eight-member official delegation to China, said the coal mine construction work for Thar coal power project will start by Nov 2005 and the first unit of the power plant would start commercial operation in 46 months while the second unit would start commercial operation after six months of the first unit.