Considering that the most critical infrastructure project is the supply of fresh water to Thar coal fields, the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) at its meeting held in Islamabad on January 21 approved a scheme for Thar coal water carrier at a cost of Rs 27 billion.
A spokesman of Coal & Energy Development Department, Government of Sindh, told Business Recorder that to develop Thar coal deposits on large scale basis and to attract foreign direct investment (FDI), fresh water supply to Thar coal fields is essential and is required to be initiated immediately to meet the timelines of the projects on the ground.
Total reserves of coal are estimated at 175 billion tons, which could produced 0.1 million mw daily for 300 years. The approval of this scheme will give great confidence to the investors as the governments of Sindh and Pakistan have shown their resolve and commitment towards Thar coal development as a flagship project.
Thar coal mining and power generation projects have initial demand of 100 cusecs fresh canal water. To meet this demand, Irrigation and Power Department of the government of Sindh prepared a project for supply of canal water from Nara Canal system. The project envisages construction of a water carrier.
The assured water supply for Thar coal power projects proposed constructing open CC lined channel with gravity flow from Farash regulator ex-lower Nara canal to Nabisar through an old waterway of Dhoro escape.
Further, the contours are not favourable due to sandy dunes topography of Thar desert up to 350 feet height. Therefore, water will be delivered through pressure pipeline from Nabisar to Islamkot and ultimately extended to Thar coal fields. In this way, sufficient water will be made available to Nara canal system by re-alignment of Nara canal system.
Initially, a project, namely ''construction of Makhi Farash link canal (Eastern canal)'' was approved and included in Federal PSDP 2008-09. Later on, a revised PC-1 was prepared including lining of Maki Farash link canal.
This scheme was enhanced to include Thar coal power requirements after detailed discussions with international water consultants of Thar coal project, funded by World Bank and consultants of Irrigation and Power Department. Additional work was also recommended in the proposed scheme. The enhancement included provision of two storages--one at Nabisar, and the other at Vajihar--besides some other modifications.
Both these items, viz construction of Makhi link canal and delivery of water through pipes for Nabisar, were amalgamated in one project, as directed by Thar Coal Energy Board on November 21, 2009. The project is planned to be completed in two years. Total cost of the project (PC-I) prepared for the construction of phase-I is Rs 27.00 billion, which has been approved by CDWP.
Secretary, Coal and Energy Development Department, Ajaz Ali Khan, in the Energy Working Group (EWG) meeting had further requested to include the project of laying of transmission network for evacuation of power from Thar coal fields.
He informed the meeting that National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) of Ministry of Water & Power has assigned the work of preparation of feasibility for laying of transmission line to evacuate water from Thar to Canadian company SNC Lavelin, and PC-I would be completed by next month.
He explained that NTDC had also progressed on finding partners in China and an MoU has also been signed between NTDC and TBA-Ruba of China. This project is also in mature stage of project financing and inclusion of this project in Joint Energy Working Group (JEWG) meeting next month will expedite this critical aspect of Thar coal project.