KARACHI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend a ceremony scheduled to be held on Wednesday (today) to mark the successful completion of a mega coal-fired power project in Thar Block-1.
According to the Thar Coal Block-1 Power Generation Company (Pvt) Ltd, the prime minister will join the celebrations to make the commercial operation date (COD) for the 2X660MW coal-fired power plant project.
It is pertinent to mention here that the coal power plant has successfully completed the 168 hours reliability operation test and officially started commercial operation on February 5, 2023.
“At noon time 12 o´clock on 4th February 2023 (Pakistan local time), the 2X660MW high-parameter supercritical units of Thar Coal Block-1 Power Generation Company (Pvt.) Ltd. (TCB-1) successfully completed 168-hour full load reliability run test (RRT). At 00:00 on February 5 2023, both units officially entered the commercial operation stage. It marks that the construction of the Thar Block-1 Integrated Coal Mine Power Project has been completed,” said Thar Coal Block-1 Power Generation Company (PVT) Limited CEO Meng Donghai.
Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed and Member of National Assembly Dr Mahesh Milani, and their teams visited the TCB-1 premises.
They congratulated the Thar Block-1 Integrated Coal Mine Power Project on successfully completing the 168-hours RRT.
The smooth operation of the two units has an annual production capacity of 9 billion kWh, which can meet the electricity demand of nearly 4 million local households in Pakistan, effectively alleviate the local power shortage, and contribute to reducing energy imports and ensuring the strategic energy security of Pakistan.
The two units are developed under the lead of Shanghai Electric.
Donghai stressed that his company left no stone unturned in its bid to improve the lives of the local population.
“TCB-1 also stays true to the mission. While keeping pace with technological innovation, it is also committed to improving the lives of local people, protecting the local environment, and promoting economic development and employment for local people. During the construction period, the project provided more than 18,000 direct employment opportunities, created more than 135 million US dollars of tax revenue for the local area, and assumed more than 1.3 million US dollars of corporate social responsibility, creating a better future together with the local community,” read a statement.
