SECMC to meet 100pc coal needs of Lucky power plant by Sept

KARACHI: Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) announced a major scaling up of local coal supplies, revealing plans to fulfill 100 per cent of the coal requirements for the 660 MW Lucky Power Plant at Port Qasim by September 2026.

Speaking to the media after a project completion ceremony celebrating the local manufacturing of specialized mining equipment, SECMC CEO Amir Iqbal said that the company currently fuelled 50 per cent of the production capacity for Lucky Power’s twin 330 MW units.

By next month, this supply would reach full capacity. Combined with the 660 MW Engro Powergen Thar plant and supplies to Thal Nova Power plant Thar, SECMC’s total local coal supply would power approximately 2,000 MW of power generation by September.

The ceremony marked the successful delivery of locally manufactured, specialized mining equipment by Autocom.

Iqbal emphasized the fact that migrating mining operations toward localized machinery was vital for long-term business and operational sustainability.

“Excellence is not about achieving a milestone. It is a journey,” Iqbal said, adding that nations achieved true self-reliance through such indigenous efforts.

Addressing the economic impact, Iqbal said it was premature to quantify the exact reduction in overall mining costs given the current scale.

However, he said that as local production expanded, it would yield a highly considerable impact on mining economics.

As an example of successful localization, Iqbal highlighted the company’s shift away from imported mining pumps.

“SECMC previously imported heavy-duty pumps from Germany at an exorbitant cost of $40,000 to $50,000 per unit. Subsequent testing of Chinese alternatives proved unsustainable under Pakistan’s harsh operational environment. Ultimately, a Lahore-based local manufacturer stepped in, delivering pumps that match international quality standards, paving the way for a step-by-step localization strategy,” he added.

Iqbal said that SECMC’s ultimate vision was to establish itself as a guarantor of Pakistan’s energy security rather than just a coalmining operation.

With the country facing acute gas shortages and the high financial burden of imported Regasified Liquified Natural Gas (RLNG), turning to domestic reserves remained critical.

Currently, coal accounts for roughly 12 to 15 per cent of Pakistan’s energy mix.

Iqbal said that doubling this share to 25 per cent through indigenous resources could substantially lower power tariffs for both local consumers and industries.

He said that high electricity tariffs, rather than raw material costs, remained the primary roadblock for the country’s industrial sector.

SECMC selected Autocom following rigorous diligence and expressed complete satisfaction with the performance of the local hardware, he added.

Khayam Hussain, Managing Director of Autocom, confirmed during the event that the firm’s engineering solutions were expanding beyond the Thar coalfields.

Autocom is actively deploying equipment to major national projects, including Reko Diq.

Hussain reiterated the company’s commitment to expanding local manufacturing capacities to streamline and optimize heavy mining operations across Pakistan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026