ISLAMABAD: Government of Pakistan has given approval to set up 1,400MW power project to be set up on Thar coal by the Shanghai Electric Group of China.
The project is among the “prioritised projects” under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and is scheduled to start power generation in 2017-18.
The approval was given by minister for water and power Khawaja Muhammad Asif in a meeting of the board of directors of Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB).
The meeting was informed that Shanghai Electric would install four power units of 350MW each at Thar.
This is the second Thar coal- based power project in the independent power project (IPP) mode approved by the PPIB board, first being the 660MW Engro Power Project.
The development of Thar coal resources is expected to provide a major breakthrough to develop huge generation capacity using cheap local coal.
China Three Gorges is already developing three hydropower projects in Pakistan namely the 720MW Karot, 1,100MW Kohala and 590MW Mahl on Jhelum River and interested in undertaking more power projects.
