Thar coal mining project in Pakistan | Updates & Discussions.

[DelhiDareDevil]

Would be great if Pakistan find massive reserves of coal in Sindh, India can benefit too, with cheap, low transit cost and can help improve relationship and trade.

 

[my2cents]

Would be great if Pakistan find massive reserves of coal in Sindh, India can benefit too, with cheap, low transit cost and can help improve relationship and trade.

I have been hearing about your coal reserves since I was in school. What have you done with this reserve since independence? You guys talk too much, I think. I am not awed by it any more. Sorry to say this, but it shows your inefficiency.

 

[Hyde]

I have been hearing about your coal reserves since I was in school. What have you done with this reserve since independence? You guys talk too much, I think. I am not awed by it any more. Sorry to say this, but it shows your inefficiency.

so are you 15 or 16 years old?

because Coal reserves were only discovered in 1988, confirmed by geological survey of Pakistan in 1992 and the practical work only began in 2000s.

 

[my2cents]

so are you 15 or 16 years old?

because Coal reserves were only discovered in 1988, confirmed by geological survey of Pakistan in 1992 and the practical work only began in 2000s.

Look at the time line you have mentioned
discovery--1988
Survey--1992
Work started--2000

I rest my case.

 

[nwmalik]

Look at the time line you have mentioned
discovery--1988
Survey--1992
Work started--2000

I rest my case.

i agree, our political leaders are interested in their own cuts.
the petroleum importers pay big money (probably) to prevent any alternatives

 

[my2cents]

i agree, our political leaders are interested in their own cuts.
the petroleum importers pay big money (probably) to prevent any alternatives

It is same here. We are not able to meet our electricity demands because we are not exploiting our coal reserves fast enough. We are actually importing coal to meet the demand. Now our Coal India raised enough cash, their should not be any excuse.

 

[Hyde]

Look at the time line you have mentioned
discovery--1988
Survey--1992
Work started--2000

I rest my case.

Edited-----------------------------

How many years has been since India trying to choose the best fighter for MRCA or how many years has been since its negotiating with USA about the Nuclear deals? nothing is done over night Sir, it always takes some time to see positive results.

Coal reserves are located in one of the poorest area of Pakistan with minimal infrastructure available... first the government had to allocate funds to make that area livable, foreign investors to support the projects, 100s of geological surveys and reports, lack of heavy machinery and technical expertise, roads and so on. It take years to complete such projects and still we are not going to see any significant change until 2015. Bohat problems hain yaara.... aik din main kuch nahi ho sakta

 

[Omar1984]

CM Sindh meets Chinese delegation over Thar coal ​

Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah holds meeting with Chinese Delegation regarding “Introduction of Premium Energy” at CM House in Karachi on Wednesday, April 20, 2011. – File Photo



KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah held a meeting with seven-member Chinese delegation at the CM House, on Wednesday.

The meeting was also attended by Advisor to CM for Investment Zubair Motiwala, Secretary to CM Alamuddin Bullo, Secretary Investment Sind

Prime Minister of China during his visit to Pakistan had expressed that his country wants to invest in Pakistan particularly in the energy sector.

Chairman of state owned China Godian Group, Ms. Renaiquin, in her discussion informed that their group is engaged in Mining and Power sector based with coal power, solar energy, wind energy and also in petro-chemicals.

She said that their group is generating 88,000 MW of power in China and intends to invest in Thar coal and, all other projects under infrastructure.

She further informed that their group is generating 6,000 MW through solar system and 3,000 MW through wind power generation. Besides, they possess all types of machinery, equipment, operators with maintenance facility, she said.

The Chinese group informed that they will prepare detailed proposal and the same will be sent to the Sindh Government for further negotiations.

Advisor to CM Sindh for Investments, Zubair Motiwala said that the project is commercially viable and the Chinese group can also utilise sources of solar energy and wind energy together with coal gasification for power generation.

Sindh Secretary for Thar Coal and Energy Department, Aijaz Ali Khan, in his detailed briefing informed that there are coal reserve of 186.560 billion tonnes in Sindh, 235 million tonnes in Punjab, 217 million tonnes in Balochistan, 90 million tonnes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 9- million tonnes is Azad Kashmir.

Aijaz Khan also pointed to the socio-economic impact of load-shedding and said that Pakistan is facing acute energy shortages leading to socio-economic costs of load shedding estimated at $ 37 billion between 2007 and 2012 while loss of Rs 219 billion to industrial sector alone during 2008 in Pakistan.

He said that the vision for Thar coal is to develop it as a source of power generation for energy and economic security of the country and as a Hub of petro chemical industry while as per goal, at least 10,000 MW power will be generated by 2020.

Secretary Thar Coal Energy Department informed that the Thar coal field has been declared as Special Economic Zone (SEZ) with exemptions on with-holding tax and zero per cent Customs duties on import of coal mining equipment and machinery.

He added that the Sindh Government has approved an amount of Rs 972.070 million for the construction of an Airport at Thar for the coal fields.

 

[Omar1984]

Chinese group interested in Thar Coal project ​

KARACHI: A Chinese group has expressed interest in developing Thar Coal for generating electricity—and will prepare a detailed proposal that would be sent to Sindh Government for further negotiations.

A 7-member Chinese delegation held a meeting with the Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah at his office on Wednesday.

Syed Qaim Ali Shah welcomed the Chinese delegation on behalf of government of Sindh, Cabinet of Sindh and people of the province. He said that Pakistan and Peoples Republic of China possess friendly and long-standing relations.

Syed Qaim Ali Shah added that Prime Minister of China during his visit to Pakistan had expressed that his country wanted to invest in Pakistan—particularly in energy sector. “China is a very advanced country—and has made remarkable progress in various sectors. So Pakistan intends to avail the facilities from those achievements,” he added.

Chairperson of state-owned China Godian Group Renaiquin informed that their group is engaged in mining and power sector based with coal power, solar energy, wind energy and petrochemicals.

She said that their group is generating 88000 MW power in China and “intends to invest in Thar Coal and other projects.”

She further informed that their group is generating 6000 MW through solar system and 3000 MW through wind power generation. “We possess all types of machinery, equipments and operators with maintenance facility,” she said.

The Chinese group informed that they will prepare a detailed proposal and the same will be sent to the government of Sindh for further negotiations.

Advisor to CM Sindh for investments Zubair Motiwala in his views said that Pakistan has always treated China as a trustworthy friend and “I hope that Chinese Guodian Group will fully participate in development process of Thar Coal and energy project.”

He said the project is commercially viable and Chinese group can also utilise sources of solar energy and wind energy together with Coal gasification for power generation.

Sindh Secretary for Thar Coal and energy department Aijaz Ali Khan in his detailed briefing informed that there is 860 billion tones coal reserves in the world, which include bituminous & anthracite 405-billion tones, sub-Biluminous 260 billion tones and lignite 195 billion tones.

He added that according to survey of energy resources 2010 by world energy council, the use of coal would rise by 60% by the year 2030, while the share of coal in power generation is set to increase from 41% to 44% by 2030. He said that there is coal reserve of 186.560 billion tones in Sindh, 235 million tones in Punjab, 217- million tones in Balochistan, 90-million tones in Khyber–Pakhtonkhawa and 9-million tones is Azad Kashmir.

 

[Omar1984]

Thar coal power firms get 30-year tax holiday from FBR ​

KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has allowed a 30-year tax holiday for companies aim to produce power from Thar coal fields.

The revenue body, in a notification issued on Saturday, exempted 10 percent income tax on the dividend of any project at Thar coal fields for 30 years from the launch.

Similarly, the payments for goods, services, construction and other operations of the project would be exempted from up to 3.5 percent withholding tax, the revenue body said.

An FBR official said that the incentive was given on the recommendations of the Privatisation Commission and Thar Coal Development Board, which proposed tax-free environment to attract investment.

Pakistan has approximately 186 billion tons of untapped coal reserves.

The largest reserves, 175 billion tons of lignite coal, are located in the Thar Desert of Sindh.

Despite sky-rocketing prices of oil and depleting reserves of gas in the country, the efforts to produce electricity using coal, as a cheaper alternative, remain short of target.

Analysts believe that the coal reserves in Thar have the capacity to generate estimated 100,000 megawatt (MW) electricity. The Ministry of Water and Power aims to boost annual coal production from the current 4.5 million tonnes to 60 million tonnes over the next five years.

Currently, the electricity produced from coal holds less than one percent of the overall national energy mix in the country, industry sources said.

“Assuming coal production going up to 50 million tonnes per year, there is a potential to install coal-based power plants with a production capacity of 9,000 to 10,000MW,” according to the ministry.

The persistent power outages have disrupted the social and industrial life of the country, restraining growth, employment creation and social development, the leading donor of Pakistan, Asian Development Bank said in a report released late 2010.

“The war against terror and the consequent deterioration in the security situation have compounded problems in the energy sector by blocking the key foreign and domestic investments needed to jumpstart the sector,” it said.

Currently, a $4 billion project to produce electricity from coal at Thar is underway, which is a joint venture of Sindh government and Engro PowerGen Limited.

 

[Omar1984]

Shah, Qamar for fast work on Thar energy project ​

KARACHI – Federal Minister for Privatisation and Water & Power, Syed Naveed Qamar, Saturday called on Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah here at the CM House.

Both leaders discussed in detail various projects including Thar Coal & Energy project and reaffirmed that the work being executed on Thar Coal Energy Project will be accelerated so that the process of gasification and generation of power is enhanced, which is essential for the progress and prosperity of the province.

The Chief Minister Sindh informed that various agencies are working in eight blocks of Thar Coal field and the results on the project are encouraging. The CM informed that various agencies are engaged in provision of basic infrastructure for the project, which included roads, communication facility, airport, provision of drinking water etc so as to attract intending investors.

He added that a group of Chinese government recently visited Sindh province and they were briefed in detail by the government of Sindh about facts and figures and incentives for Thar coal & energy project.

He said that the Chinese group will submit its report after completion of formal feasibility to participate in development activities of Thar coal & energy project. Both leaders hoped that the gasification and power will be soon generated from Thar coal & energy project and the dream of Shaheed Mohtarama Benazir Bhutto will become a true.

 

[Omar1984]

Thar coal power project to be launched next month ​

MITHI: First phase of project to generate electricity from Thar coal reservoirs will be launched next month. Secretary Sindh Coal Authority Aijaz Ali Khan said the Thal coal project was top priority of the government to meet electricity shortage in the country.

He said all work on the project would be executed under the supervision of national scientist Dr Samar Mubarak Mand.

Samar Mubarak has planned gasification project for generating the electricity from Thar coal reservoirs in first phase. He said this gasification project would enable to generate 10,000-mega watt electricity from Thar coal project till 2020.

He said Pak Oasis industries had been taken revolution steps in the country to provide quality and cheap purified drinking water.

He informed Thar coal authority had been also given task to Pak Oasis industries to install water filter plants in Thar desert for Thari people after successful project of the company to make drinking water from brackish water on modern procedure and also prepared mineral water for local population. app

 

[red_baron]

i read somewhere that this reserve is enough for next 500 years....imagine what other resources we have scattered all around and imagine that day when we take the jewels out of the basement and show them to the world

 

[Shastra]

Thar Coal: Myths and Realities

Spending resources on coal alone a folly: study

Exploiting coal reserves in Thar would squeeze the national exchequer as the coal present in the region is a low-quality type and would require significant resources. Minimum cost of electricity generation would be around Rs5.67 per unit which is 15 time higher than hydroelectricity generation cost in Pakistan.

 

[kak1978]