National Transmission and Despatch Company Limited (NTDCL) has commissioned One 500 kV grid station and eight 220 kV grid stations along with hundreds of kilometres transmission line during last six months across the country. The addition of new capacities will strengthen transmission network, voltage profile and reduce line losses.
This was stated by Managing Director NTDCL Engr Tahir Mahmood during his briefing to a 15-member delegation of National Management College, here at WAPDA House on Wednesday. Delegation comprising senior officers of the Federal and Provincial Civil Services was led by Noor Salam Shah.
Tahir Mahmood gave comprehensive briefing on power sector as well as roles and functions of NTDCL and elaborated its four major functions comprising of Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA), System Operator, Transmission Network Operator and Contract Registrar and Power Exchange Administrator which has yet to be operational.
He informed that NTDCL acts as backbone of power sector, which maintains thirteen 500 kV grid stations, Thirty Five 220 kV Grid Stations with 5183 km of 500 kV transmission lines and 9104 km of 220 kV transmission lines throughout Pakistan. Dilating upon the upcoming projects, he said that work on Neelum Jhelum transmission line is being done on fast track and will be completed before the commissioning of hydro power plant. On the other hand the transmission lines and substations are being constructed to evacuate power from hydel, wind, solar, nuclear and coal power projects.
He also informed that a comprehensive National Power System Expansion Plan (NPSEP - 2030) has also been chalked out to mitigate the prevailing energy crisis of future energy needs in the wider interest of the country, which is also being updated through JICA-aided consultants.
While responding to the questions of the participants, Engr. Tahir Mahmood said that NTDCL is capable of evacuating/transmitting the present power generation in the country and also provided two alternate sources of power supply to Balochistan through Khuzdar and Loralai Grid Stations. While talking about sabotage activities and terrorist attacks on NTDCL installations/pylons, he said that the engineers and officials have laid down their lives in the line of duty.
Later, souvenirs were exchanged between MD NTDC Engr Tahir Mahmood and Group co-ordinator Noor Salam Shah. General Manager Planning Power R.S Rehan, General Manager CPPA Muhammad Arshad Chaudhry, Finance Director Hammad Ahmad, DG HR Muhammad Gulzar Sheikh and other official were also present on the occasion.-PR