KARACHI - Federal Minister for Information Pervaiz Rashid on Tuesday said that the government at Council of Common Interest (CCI) meeting took some positive decisions about establishment of coal based power projects in the country.
He stated said this while addressing the meeting of Thar Coal Energy Board here.
He said that Federal Government would encourage establishment of coal based power project by providing required infrastructure and fast track officials proceedings.
Pervaiz said that power crisis is a challenge for the nation and, “We all have to combat it through joint efforts and organizational steps.”
Presiding over the meeting, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, who is also the Chairman of Thar Coal Energy Board (TCEB) said that Thar Coal Project enjoyed the ownership equally of federal and provincial governments. He said that Sindh Government was actively implementing the coal based power projects under the joint venture with national and international investment organizations to generate power, most probably from 2017-18.
He said the foundation stone of the coal power project was laid down by Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif and former president Asif Ali Zardari.
The chief minister said that Thar coal has the potential to steer the whole country out of power crisis. Different coal based power projects were being implemented by national and international power companies under the joint venture, he added.
The meeting was informed that there were many investment companies which either had expressed their interest or entered into agreement, bringing total investment upto $ 7 to $ 8 billion.
The meeting after detailed discussion decided conversion of oil based power plants to Thar coal and recommended that new power plants should be designed on Thar coal specification.
The meeting recommended for early implementation of Thar-Jamshoro transmission line to restore the confidence of investors. The board expressed its satisfaction over the ongoing work on the infrastructure development including supply of water, construction of airport and roads network. The meeting was informed that 67% work of the first scheme of water supply had been completed while work on the other two schemes was in progress.