Muzaffargarh power plant: transmission lines badly damaged by heavy rains: NTDC chief

Thunderstorms and heavy rains affected transmission lines originating from the Muzaffargarh power plant, reducing power supply in the national grid by 1,750-megawatt, Managing Director of the National Transmission and Despatch Company Limited (NTDCL) Naveed Ismail said at a press conference here on Sunday. However 1,000MW would be restored to the system by Sunday evening, he added.
Referring to the damage wrought by heavy rains, he said that six pylons of 500KV transmission line had been uprooted, affecting a 220KV power line passing directly beneath them, further damaging 13 towers on the same transmission line.
He said that the damaged portions were being repaired as fast as was humanly possible and all required resources, including cranes and other material, had been brought to the site from other parts of the country.
Naveed Ismail said that AES Lalpir and Pak General (700MW), Muzaffargarh (800MW) and two units of Guddu power plant had also gone off the national grid.
He said that 350MW of Lalpir power plant will be added by Monday morning. Talking about Pak General unit, he said that the windstorm had affected transmission lines "very badly". "It will take two more days for its (Pak Gen unit's) recovery," he said.
Naveed Ismail also informed about the Chashma Nuclear Power Plants (Chashnup) I&II (650 MW), which had been closed down because of a technical fault a few days ago, had also started working since morning.
MD NTDCL Naveed Ismail regretted the inconvenience faced by the masses and requested their cooperation, urging them to reduce their electricity load to a minimum.