The commercial operations of the 1320 megawatt Thar Coal Block-1 power plants, which were built and sponsored by Shanghai Electric, have begun following the successful completion of the reliability-run test (RRT). This was confirmed by Thar Coal Block-1 (TCB-1) Power Generation Co., a subsidiary of Shanghai Electric.
The plants have an annual output capacity of 9 billion units, which is enough to meet the energy needs of 4 million households. The project promises economic benefits such as a reduction in fuel imports, preservation of foreign exchange reserves, and improvement of Pakistan’s energy security, according to the company.
A video posted by Asif Ali, Manager of Commercial at Shanghai Electric’s TCB-1, showed the Chinese and local staff of the power plant celebrating after the successful completion of the 168-hour RRT. The staff is seen counting down as the RRT nears completion and shouting slogans of congratulations after the successful outcome. Asif Ali stated that “all the relevant parameters were successful” in an interview with Gwadar Pro.
The RRT was initiated on January 28th and the plant progressed to reach full load capacity for testing as per the established criteria. The plant is currently generating 1,320 MW of cost-effective electricity from its indigenous coal sources, which are being fed into the national grid, according to Asif.
Due to the initiation of coal mining and power plant projects in the Thar desert as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiative, Thar coal is now providing 2,640 MW of electricity to the national energy supply.
