ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to modernise the national power transmission to provide an immediate relief to the overall national transmission and dispatch system, which is under stress due to inadequate transformation capacity, and to facilitate evacuation of electricity from new generation facilities and from the regional power trading, it was learnt on Saturday.

The modernisation will begin with the first phase of the project, for which the government is seeking financing from the World Bank. The first phase will involve up-gradation and extensions to existing substations, modification to transmissions towers and lines, and the construction of new substation sites across the country.

The estimated total financing requirement of the project is $549.32 million, whereas the World Bank will provide financing of $425m, while the remaining amount of $124.32m will be covered by National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC), which will implement the project.

Three sub-projects have been tentatively identified; however, their exact location is not yet finalised. Other projects will be identified during the implementation stage of the project. These include 22kV Punjab University Grid Station along with associated 4km transmission line located in Lahore; 220kV Zero-Point Grid Station in Islamabad; and 220kV Mastung Grid Station along with 220kV Sibi-Mastung-Quetta, Loralai double circuit transmission lines.

In Lahore, which is also the main hub of commercial and industrial activity, NTDC has planned construction of a new 220kV GIS Grid Stations at Punjab University to improve the reliability of NTDC network and to provide relief to the 132kV Grid Stations in Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco). The land (10-acre) required for the construction of 220kV PU grid station is owned by the university.

Islamabad, which have various sensitive installations and government offices, requires uninterrupted and reliable supply of power. NTDC has planned construction of a new 220kV Zero Point Gas Insulated grid station to improve the reliability of NTDC network and to provide relief to 132kV Grid Stations in Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) area. Furthermore, this would also provide a second source of supply to existing 220kV Islamabad University grid station.

In Mastung district, due to long transmission lines and far-flung areas, the voltage profile position of Quetta Electric Supply Company (Qesco) is poor. NTDC has planned a new 220kV Mastung Grid station to improve the power supply system including voltage profile, reliability and uninterrupted power supply to Qesco area.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2017