NTDCL boosting up the power infrastructure

National Transmission and Despatch Company Limited (NTDCL), a state owned entity is mandated to transport power from generation units to load centres across the country, thus manages one of the largest transmission networks in the world. One of its main responsibilities is to evacuate electricity generated from hydropower plants located in the north and thermal power plants located mostly in the south of the country and transmit it to various parts of the country.
The enormity of the task can be gauged from the fact that presently, 12 grid stations of 500kv having capacity of 14850 MVA and 26 sub-station of 220KV with 15364MVA capacity and 5023 Kms of 500KV line and 7,319 Km of 220 Kv are being maintained and operated by NTDCL.
A recent study conducted by Power Planning department of NTDCL projects that electricity demand will surge to nearly 84,000 MW by 2030. To meet the ever growing demand, there is dire need to induct additional power generation units along with requisite grid stations and associated transmission lines to dispatch electricity to variety of consumers. NTDCL has therefore, chalked out an extensive power development program to lay out transmission lines and construct Grid Stations to cater the ever increasing future power distribution needs of the country. This programme is being funded by various International Financial Institutions (IFIs) including Asian Development Bank, ADB, JICA, World Bank, KfW Germany, Eximbank of Korea and Economic Development Bank of Iran as well as from own resources generated by NTDCL. ADB has offered to meet most of the financing needs of NTDC through its Multi-Tranche Financing Facility (MFF) for rehabilitation, augmentation and expansion of transmission network in Pakistan. In this connection, a framework financing agreement has been signed with ADB for $800 million to finance power transmission enhancement investment program in tranches. Tranche-1 for $220 Million and tranche-II for $226 million will be utilised to construct 19 projects of 500 and 220 kv substations and transmission lines. ADB plans to financing 80 per cent of the total project cost whereas the remaining financing will be arranged by NTDCL through its own resources. Tranche-II comprising of nine projects will also be financed by ADB. Lying of 500/220 kv transmission systems, expansion and up-gradation of National Power Control Center is being funded separately by JICA. In compliance with the present democratic government’s commitment of ensuring optimum utilisation of all available resources and create a balance between the demand and supply of power. NTDCL is expeditiously carrying out work on the construction and augmentation of grid stations and associated transmission lines and their early completion. This urgency is necessitated due to increase in power generation through induction of new thermal power plants and up-gradation of the existing ones.
Work on following
projects is being completed on fast track basis.
1- Addition of 4th 220/132 KV 160 MVA Transformer at 220 kV Grid Station Sarfaraz Nagar falling under the jurisdiction of LESCO.
2- Addition of 4th 220/132 KV 160 MVA Transformer at 220 kV Grid Station in Jaranwala, Faisalabad.
3- 132 kV Muzaffarabad – Hattian Transmission Line Length consisting length of 45.3 Km.
4- A 220 kV Dadu-Khuzdar Transmission System Project has achieved an average progress of around 76 per cent. This project entails a 220kV D/C Transmission Line with 274.27 km length from Dadu to Khuzdar, a 220/132kV Grid Station Khuzdar and 220kV Extension at 500kV Dadu Grid Station.
5- Extension of 500 kV Grid Station Dadu New, (1x 450 MVA, 500/220 kV Auto Transformer Bank and 1×160 MVA, 220/132 kV Auto Transformers)
6- A 220 KV Rohri Substation and Associated Transmission lines which will disperse power from IPPs Foundation Daharki and Engro near Ghotki. 220 kV Rohri New Grid Station and Extension at existing 220 kV Grid Station Shikarpur. This project also entails a 62 km 220 KV Double Circuit twin bundle Transmission Line from 220 KV Rohri New Grid Station to 220 KV Shikarpur Grid Station, is also near to its completion.
7- 220 kV Double Circuit Twin Bundle Dera Ghazi Khan – Loralai Transmission Line; this transmission line will be connected from DG Khan grid station to Lora Lai grid station with total length of 85 km.
8- Ground breaking ceremony of Rahim Yar Khan 500 kV Grid Station and Associated 500kV Transmission Lines Project was done by President of Pakistan in 2010. This project comprises of two packages i.e Design, Supply, Installation, Testing & commissioning of 500/220/132 kV Grid Station Rahim Yar Khan and In & Out arrangement of 500kV Guddu-Multan 3rd Circuit at Rahim Yar Khan Grid Station with length of S/C = 26 Km and D/C = 17 Km. This vital project will be completed at an estimated cost of Rs 6108 million and funded by JICA.
9- A 220 kV AIS Loralai Grid Station comprises Design, Supply, Installation, Testing & commissioning based on 2×250 MVA, 220/132 kV Auto Trasformers and 6×132 kV Line Bays is being constructed in QESCO area.
10- To facilitate the Import of 100 MW Power from Iran to Gawadar, a grid of 220/132 kv is being setup at Gawadar and 75 km transmission line to Iran border. The total cost of the project is Euro 30 million, out of which 70 per cent funding is being provided by Iran and the rest of the fund is being provided by NTDCL.
11- Another major project being undertaken by NTDCL is construction of 500 kV D.G. Khan Substation & Associated Transmission Line Project. It encompasses two packages; in Package-I Design, Supply, Installation Testing and commissioning of this 500/220/132 kV AIS Substation at Dera Ghazi Khan and package-II entails construction of 33 km 500 kV Guddu-Multan Circuit-I In & Out transmission line at Dera Ghazi Khan.
12- A project is also under execution to connect the power generated from wind to national grid. 132 kV Double Circuit Transmission Line In and Out 132 kV Nooriabad-Jhampir Transmission Line will connect FCC & Zorlu Wind power project. Total length of 132kV Transmission Line up to FCC Wind Power is around 5.820 Km and 132kV T/Line to be added from FFC Wind Power to Zorlu Wind Power which is 1.205 Km approximately.
After the completion of these projects, which is expected soon, there will be marked improvement in the voltage profile and supply reliability of the national grid. This would help reduce line losses in LESCO, FESCO, AJK, QESCO, SEPCO, HESCO and MEPCO networks and ensure availability of additional quantum of electricity to domestic, commercial and particularly agricultural consumers of Punjab, Balochistan and Sindh.
NTDCL engineers and staff are working with complete dedication to improve connectivity and early completion of these projects of strategic National importance. Their services are even more laudable given the terrain and security hazards along with extreme weather conditions (scorching heat of Sibbi and Jacobabad) that they have to negotiate continuously in turbulent, far-flung and hard areas.

The writer is Assistant Manager PR at NTDCL