PM inaugurates Shanghai Electric’s 1320MW Thar coal power plant

ISLAMABAD, March 23, (Gwadar Pro)- On Wednesday, Prime Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif inaugurated the Thar Coal Block-1 (TCB-1) power plant under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiative in the Thar desert of Sindh. The event was celebrated as a symbol of the strong cooperation between China and Pakistan, and the expectation of further mutual benefits between the two nations. 
TCB-1 power plant and the integrated coal mine, which has an annual capacity of 7.8 million tons, were sponsored and executed by Shanghai Electric at a cost of almost $3 billion. 
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, and Chinese Charge d'Affaires Ms. Pang Chunxue were among those present to congratulate this remarkable achievement.
On the occasion, the Prime Minister stated that the CPEC energy projects in the Thar desert will spread light throughout the country and change the fate of the entire nation. "This will usher in a new era of progress and development in Thar and throughout Pakistan. We are grateful to the Chinese government for CPEC and all of the assistance that China is providing to Pakistan, "PM Sharif stated. 
He went on to say that CPEC energy projects will power the mega-initiative's next phase, which will involve industrialization and collaboration in agriculture, science and technology, and other fields.
According to the Prime Minister, the TCB-1 and other CPEC projects based on indigenous resources are saving Pakistan billions of dollars in precious foreign reserves. He also announced the establishment of a hospital for the people of Thar, while the Sindh Chief Minister stated that the provincial government will fund 200 units of electricity for each household in Islamkot Tehsil of Thar from the proceeds of CPEC's Thar projects.
Ms. Pang Chunxue stated that the project has provided more than 18,000 direct employment opportunities for the locals, with a cumulative tax payment of USD 120 million and CSR expenditure of over USD 1.3 million.The Chinese diplomat stated that China will collaborate with Pakistan in the fields of industrialization, science, and technology, as well as agriculture, for the country's progress and long-term development.