Daily Times reported that the first test burn at the underground coal gasification project at Tharparkar in Sindh province is expected next month. Around 100 MW electricity is planned to be generated by the project by December 2013.

Official sources said that the first gasifier and civil works of the project have been completed at cost of over USD 9 million.

Meanwhile two Chinese and Australian companies have expressed interest in huge coal deposits at Thar. Block one in Thar Coal has been allocated to Chinese company Global Mining‚ which plans to develop 5 million tonnes of coalfield annually to produce 900 MW which would be gradually increased to 2,000 MW.

Australian Continental Energy has also submitted a proposal for mining 6 million tonnes of coal annually and increasing it to 18 million tonnes. The company intends to produce about 1,000 MW electricity.

(Sourced from www.dailytimes.com.pk)