LAHORE: The French Development Agency (AFD) and the National Transmission and Despatch Company Limited (NTDC) entered into a project agreement for provision of €180 million soft loan for construction of NTDC projects.

In a ceremony held at the NTDC office, Engr Dr Rana Abdul Jabbar Khan, Managing Director NTDC and Philippe STEINMETZ, Country Director AFD, signed a project agreement on Monday.

The funds provided through this loan will assist NTDC in the execution of various projects aimed at enhancing the power transmission and distribution systems in Punjab. The projects include the construction of a new 220kV grid station and a 50km transmission line in Arifwala, which will be connected to the MEPCO distribution system. Additionally, the existing 220kV grid station in Vehari will be upgraded to 500kV level, along with a 48km transmission line. This upgrade will significantly increase the transmission capacity and benefit the consumers of MEPCO. Furthermore, a new 500kV grid station in Sialkot together with 91km of transmission lines will be constructed and connected to the GEPCO distribution system.

This loan will support NTDC to provide reliable and efficient power supply in major cities of Punjab. The funding will also enhance the efficiency of transmission of power in Pakistan. Such benefits will contribute in improving affordability and scaling up the energy supply. It will also provide reliable power supply to the biggest industrial and sports city of Sialkot.

The project agreement signing ceremony was attended by the General Manager (PD North), Chief Engineer (Substation Design), Chief Engineer (Dasu Transmission Line Project), DG Human Resources, Dy Manager PMU NTDC and representatives of AFD.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023