World Bank technical aid for Thar coal: Sindh appoints Piet as Energy Advisor

The Sindh government has appointed Faling, Pieter Adriaan (Piet) as the International Energy Advisor under World Bank''s Thar Coal and Power Technical Assistance Project to promote the vast coal reserves of district Tharparkar, Business Recorder learnt on Saturday.
The consultant selection committee, Thar Coal and Power Technical Assistance Project of the World Bank, comprising Additional Chief Secretary (Development) Munawar Opel, Additional Secretary (Development), Finance Department Rafeo Shah and Deputy Secretary (Services), Services General Administration and Co-ordination Department Suhail Ahmed Qureshi, conducted interview of Pieter recently, according to official sources.
It may be mentioned here that the Sindh government and the World Bank (WB) had signed $30 million agreement for the technical assistance for the development of Thar coalfields.
Sources said that the International Energy Advisor would report to the Project Co-ordinator, Project Management Unit (PMU), and would also assist the Public Private Infrastructure Board (PPIB). He would contribute towards the development of Block-I of the Thar coalfields and work with legal advisor and other members to assess existing power sector policies relating to development of coal-fired electricity generation as well as integrated mining.
He will also propose plan in view of responsibilities for coal-related transaction, roles by provincial agencies, government and power regulator ie National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), sources said, adding that the advisor would also summarise sector issues, legal and regulatory processes and key agencies relating to development of coal-fired power generation.
Further, on day-to-day basis, the advisor will contribute towards briefings, reports and summaries to be presented to the federal government including the PPIB and the provincial agencies with periodic updates on project design and development and other key sector issues. He will also contribute towards investor roundtables, road shows and other campaigns to promote Thar coal development, they said.
Faling, Pieter Adriaan (Piet) has vast experience and remained on important positions in different countries in the world. He worked as Executive Director of the Transmission Group and member of the Management Board of Eskom, South Africa. He also served as advisor to Kema Consulting in the United States of America about creating transmission companies.
He also served as advisor to the Chairman and held the position of Group Managing Director of the Honeywell Group, a Nigerian conglomerate with an annual turnover of $150 million, etc. He also led discussion among the Portuguese, Mozambique and South African governments and the three utilities, Electricitade De Mozambique, Hidroelectrica De Cohora Bassa and Eskom to get a 2000MW hydro electric power station in Mozambique back on line after the destructive civil war.