LAHORE: The National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) is likely to award the project of laying new 220kV double circuit transmission lines (from Jhang to Toba Tek Singh) to the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) as the negotiations and modalities between both the parties are going on rapidly these days.

The transmission lines will have the capacity to evacuate 1,200MW or even more from the Punjab government’s second regasified liquefied natural gas-fired combined-cycle power plant being executed near Trimmu Barrage in Jhang district.

“The NTDC’s departments concerned are likely to award the project of laying the new transmission line to the FWO. The new line will connect the provincial government’s RLNG-fired combined-cycle power plant with the 220kV system so as to evacuate over 1,200MW of thermal power and add it to the national grid,” said an official source in the ministry of water and power.

“The 50km long transmission line will start from the project/plant site—a couple of kilometers away from Trimmu (Jhang)—and end at the 220kV grid station at Toba Tek Singh,” the official added.

The NTDC plans to get the civil work launched by the contractor/firm in January this year and complete the same till August next year, according to the timeline. The FWO would get the project after successful bidding process in which other companies had also participated.

Talking to Dawn, an NTDC official said since there was no 500kV transmission line or grid (load centre) near the project site, the plan to lay the 220kV double circuit transmission line was finalised.

“Like 1,200MW Haveli Bahadur Shah Plant (Jhang), we have no 500kV transmission line near the project site in question. So it was decided to lay a double circuit 220kV line to connect the plant and link it with the already existing 220kV grid station in Toba Tek Singh district, just 50km away from Trimmu. The plan also appeared to be economical,” the official explained on the anonymity request. When contacted, NTDC Managing Director Zafar Abbas said various things related to the transmission line project were yet to be finalised.

“We are carrying out various preparatory works/jobs required before initiation of the project and we have not yet decided to award this project to the FWO,” he added.

Meanwhile, according to a senior government official, the Punjab Thermal Power (Private) Limited (PTPL)—a subsidiary of the energy department—has almost completed acquisition of the land required for the project.

“The land measuring 160 acres (1,280 kanal) has been demarcated for acquisition,” the official said.

“The land/project site is located along the canal (PS link canal) originating from the Trimmu barrage. It is just about three to four kilometre from Trimmu (Jhang district),” he said and added that the bidding process was underway these days.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2017