K-Electric Sponsors seek Plant conversion to Thar Coal

September 13, 2023

K-Electric’s new sponsors AsiaPak Investments, has presented an ambitious investment proposal to the Government of Pakistan. The proposal aims to convert the 660MW Jamshoro supercritical power plant, initially designed for imported coal, into a facility that runs on indigenous Thar coal for the next thirty years.

The $545 million power plant, financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), has completed all engineering, procurement, installation, and civil works but has not yet commenced commercial operations. This delay is attributed to Pakistan’s inability to import coal due to financial constraints, as mentioned by officials currently involved with the project.

Shahriar Chishti, Head of AsiaPak Investment, shared with a group of journalists at the plant site that the conversion proposal has been presented to the government. The proposal suggests transferring the operations, maintenance, and coal procurement responsibilities for the project to KE. Chishti expressed optimism that the government will approve the investment plan, potentially allowing the plant to start its commercial operations using indigenous Thar coal by September of the following year. Once operational, the plant is expected to generate approximately 5 billion units of electricity annually, contributing to Karachi’s power supply, the commercial hub of Pakistan.

Chishti also mentioned KE’s interest in the development of a 660MW Unit-II for the Jamshoro supercritical power plant. He explained that both units of the project were designed to operate as a combined facility, sharing common facilities, which would result in lower costs for Unit-II compared to Unit-I.