Evacuation of power from South to North: NTDC completes 4 more 500KV transmission line circuits

LAHORE: In pursuits of early completion of its projects, the National Transmission & Dispatch Company Limited (NTDC) has completed 04 more 500 KV transmission line circuits for evacuation of electricity from power plants located in southern parts of the country. The transmission line circuits have been connected with HVDC Converter Station at Matiari.

In this regard a virtual ceremony of energization of transmission lines circuits was held at WAPDA House. Managing Director NTDC Engr Dr Khwaja Riffat Hassan, Deputy Managing Directors, General Managers, Chief Engineers and other officers participated in the ceremony.

While elaborating the details of completed transmission line projects, the NTDC spokesman has said that two 500 kV transmission line circuits for direct connection from 1320 MW Port Qasim coal fired power plant to HVDC Matiari converter station has been energized. While other two 500 kV transmission line circuits for looping in/out with existing 500 KV Jamshoro-Dadu Circuit-I have been energized and connected with HVDC Matiari converter station at Hyderabad. Earlier, the said transmission line was feeding the grid through in/out arrangement at 500 kV Jamshoro-Dadu Circuit-II.

These transmission lines shall result in connection of four more 500 KV circuits, in addition to the already commissioned four 500 KV circuits, which will further strengthen the 500 kV NTDC network at Matiari Converter Station. This will also help and facilitate for high power testing on ±660 kV HVDC Matiari – Lahore transmission line starting from 1st May 2021.

The spokesman further said that for evacuation of electricity from Sindh based power plants, NTDC had planned 10 circuits/transmission lines, out of which, eight 500 kV HVAC transmission line circuits have been completed and energized. However, the remaining 02 transmission line circuits will be completed subsequently. These transmission lines will evacuate power from aforementioned power plant. Consequently, this power will be transmitted to the Northern load centers of the country through ±660 KV HVDC Matiari– Lahore transmission line CPEC project.

The spokesman added that the transmission facility will primarily be utilized to transmit power generated from indigenous Thar coal-based power generation projects with the aim to enhance the share of indigenous fuel-based generation while saving the significant amount of foreign exchange.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021