Chairman Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Tariq Hamid has said that hydel power generation recorded 6,530 megawatt (MW) on Wednesday against an installed capacity of 6,450 MW due to sufficient availability of water in the reservoirs of Tarbela and Mangla.
While talking to media men after Rs 1.5 billion loan signing agreement between Multan Electric Power Company (Mepco) and a syndicate of banks comprising Citibank, Allied Bank and Bank Alfalah, here at Wapda House on Thursday, Tariq said that a record number of villages were electrified by Mepco during the last fiscal. Similarly, maximum number of agricultural tube-wells was energised by the company, which had changed the customer profile of Mepco.
This loan would help improve the distribution system and ensure uninterrupted power supply to the consumers. Agha Nazim, Chief Executive Officer, Mepco told newsmen on the occasion that his company, in order to strengthen its system, was executing 6th secondary transmission grid (STG) programme, an ambitious 5-year plan worth Rs 9.9 billion approved by the Ecnec.
The 6th STG includes construction of 20 new grid stations, augmentation of 52 grid stations, conversion of 8 grid stations from 66 KV to 132 KV, installation of 559 MVAR new capacitors and construction of 670 kilometre long 132 KV transmission line in Mepco, he added.
In the first phase, Mepco would spend Rs 3 billion to construct five new grid stations, augment 22 gird stations, convert 3 grid stations from 66 KV to 132 KV, add 559 MVAR new capacitors and to construct 170 km long 132 KV transmission line during the first year, he said. Earlier, Agha Nazim and representatives of the banks signed the loan agreement.