Govt Plans to Convert Three Imported Coal-Fired Power Plants to Thar Coal

The federal government plans to convert three plants currently running on imported coal to Thar coal. According to a report in Business Recorder, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has been given the responsibility to engage with the top management of the National Development and Reform Commission of China (NDRC) for the conversion of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) imported coal projects to Thar Coal. According to the report, the government intends to shift the Sahiwal Coal-fired Power Plant, the Coal-fired Power Plant at Port Qasim, and the China Hub Coal Power Project to Thar coal. Moreover, according to the report, the government is also considering the conversion of the imported coal-based Jamshoro plant to Thar coal and the availability of Thar coal to the Lucky coal-fired power plant. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently directed the Power Division, Ministry of Railways, Sindh Government, NEPRA, PPIB, and Thar Coal Energy Board (TCEB) to work on these tasks.