LAHORE: The National Transmission and Despatch Company Ltd (NTDC) has secured Rs 6400 million financing facility from a consortium of Banks (Habib Bank Limited, National Bank of Pakistan & Bank Islami Pakistan Limited). The financing facility will be utilised for the construction of 220/132kV substation and 35km long allied Transmission Lines to evacuate 1224MW clean renewable energy generated by wind power plants located at Jhimpir Wind Corridor.

NTDC Managing Director Engr Muhammad Ayub singed the contract of financing facility with Asad Altaf, GM Corporate Banking Head (Central) HBL, Zia-ud-Din Tahir Unit Head NBP (Corporate) and Amir Ashraf Head Corporate (Central) Bank Islami during a signing ceremony held at WAPDA House Lahore, on Tuesday.

The Managing Director NTDC has said that for the first time NTDC has explored the option of raising a financial facility at its own resources (balance sheet) without GOP guarantee. Whereas, previously, it had relied on GoP guaranteed loans from the local market. This financing facility would be a precursor for more funding for upcoming NTDC projects.

He furthered said that PC-1 cost of the Jhimpir-II project was Rs 10.753 billion and the funding required was Rs 6.40 billion. The project will have sufficient capacity to transmit more power in future. To meet the future developments in Gharo-Jhimpir wind corridor, the 220kV grid station will be upgraded to 500kV capacity in coming years. Deputy Managing Director NTDC Safdar Ali, Chief Financial Officer NTDC Wasim Saadat and other senior officials from NTDC and banks were also present on the occasion.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021