Electricity transmission: lagging behind

With summer time at its peak the power crisis shows no sign of abating. The majority of the country is facing north of twelve hours of load shedding and the government’s empty promises have given little room for optimism.

According to the statistics provided by the NTDC in NEPRA’s State of Industry Report 2016 next year will also see a power deficit while things will improve in 2019. However, one may question the assumption of NTDC using a decreasing projected demand growth rate of electricity. Given the pace of economic growth coupled with rising per capita incomes and a growing population, it seems unlikely that the electricity growth rate for the next five years will take a downward trajectory.

One of the major areas that need urgent attention is that of the transmission sector which the regulator aptly terms as the backbone of the power sector. The statistics show that out of a total of 33 auto transformers at 500/220 kV grid stations eight were found to be loaded above their rated capacity. Similarly, an alarming 72 percent of auto transformers at 220/132 kV were found to be loaded 80 percent above their rated capacity. Even though there has been improvement in this regard, there is a long way to go to meet the increased generation in the future.

Rural areas have also faced the brunt of low voltage problems which is as bad as loadshedding in some cases. For example, the delay in completion of the 220 kV Uch-Sibbi transmission line coupled with the non-installation of the Static VAR System (SVS) has led to Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESCO) unable to provide a reliable supply of electricity in its jurisdiction.

NTDC also reported overloading above 80 percent of the rated capacity of four 500/220 kV transformers, located at 500 kV Sheikhupura grid station, as well as 29 overloaded 220/132 kV auto transformers include grid station of 220 kV Burhan, 220 kV Mardan, 220 kV Lahore, 220 kV Ludewala, 220 kV Samundri Road and 220 kV Vehari.

This column has also highlighted the power evacuation constraints being faced by wind power plants at Jhimpir and Gharo resulting in losses to both investors and the national exchequer. The Hyderabad Electricity Supply Company (HESCO) has been unable to evacuate power due to delay in construction of 220 kV grid station.

A blatant example of the slow pace of work by NTDC has been the provisioning of unstable interim power evacuation from Uch-II Power Limited, 747 MW Guddu and other renewable energy based projects. In theory, NTDC is supposed to complete power evacuation for any upcoming power plant before its commencement operation date (COD). But it has failed repeatedly in this job with many power plants waiting for grid connection months after being completed.

By its own estimates NTDC projects planned generation capability of almost 34000 MW by 2021 while the current transmission network can only support 18000 MW at best according to various energy experts. If there is one thing that the recently published SOI report indicates it is the sheer lack of planning and governance issues facing the power sector. The dilapidated transmission network needs a lot of improvement to face the ambitious expansion plans of electricity generation.