KARACHI: The PML-N government plans to set up a 600MW coal-fired power plant, sources said yesterday.
An announcement will be made shortly. Sources said that the Nishat Group is likely to be assigned the task along with being the first in line to convert its IPP, AES Lalpir, to coal.
This phase is expected to last between two-and-a-half and three years. Financing is likely to come from the Chinese engineering and construction companies that are likely to get the contracts for coal-conversion. Significantly, western firms and western finance institutions no longer finance coal-fired power plants owing to their negative environmental impact.
In the initial phase, the proposed 600MW power plant will consume imported coal. The necessary modifications will be carried out later to convert it on Thar coal. No one could be contacted in the Nishat Group to comment on the issue. The Council of Common Interests, on January 23, 2013, approved a new 600MW coal-based power project at Jamshoro.
The plant will use a mix of imported and Thar coal and will be set up with a $900m loan acquired from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Internews
