KARACHI: With an aim to increase share of indigenous resource into the energy mix, the Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) has signed two separate Coal Supply Agreements (CSA) with TEL and Thal Nova for supply of 1.9 million Tonnes of coal per annum each. After commissioning of these two projects, SECMC would be mining 7.6 million tonnes per annum of coal from Thar Block-II which will reduce the coal tariff to approx. USD 41.35 per tonne, which will be equivalent to imported coal on USD/MMBtu basis. In April 2016, SECMC and Engro Powergen Thar Limited (EPTL) had achieved combined Financial Close to supply 3.8 million tonnes per annum of coal to EPTL. Currently, a project to mine 3.8 MTPA and 660MW power plant is progressing ahead of schedule and is expected to come online by June 2019. On behalf of SECMC, the CSA was signed by CEO, Shamsuddin Shaikh, while Khalid Mansoor, CEO, HUBCO & Thar Energy Limited and Khalid Siraj Subhani, CEO and Rana Zulfiqar, COO of ThalNova signed the agreements at the ceremony held at SECMC’s Office in Karachi. Speaking on the occasion, SECMC, CEO, Shamsuddin Shaikh said that SECMC aggressively pursuing expansion of its mining project with an aim to address electricity shortage in the country and to provide affordable electricity to the public. He further stated that in order to ensure the energy security of Pakistan in the long run, development of indigenous coal is essential. “It will not only become cheaper than the imported coal as the mine expands, it will also contribute in other benefits like increase in employment in particular to the locals, infrastructure development and significant savings in foreign exchange against imported coal,” he added. ThalNova is a joint venture between Thal Power (Private) Limited and Nova Powergen Limited subsidiaries of Thal Limited and Novatex Limited respectively.