Matiari-Lahore HVDC transmission line: NTDC performs first-ever live maintenance

LAHORE: The National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) has successfully conducted its first-ever live-line maintenance on the crucial ±660 kV Matiari-Lahore HVDC transmission line, a flagship project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

According to sources, the operation was performed on Tower 1885 Lahore while the system remained fully energised, ensuring no disruption to the national grid, the state-run utility.

According to Gwadar Pro the project, located near Lahore, Tower 1885 forms part of the northern section of the 878-kilometer HVDC corridor that transmits up to 4,000 MW of electricity from Matiari in Sindh to Lahore in Punjab.

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“The tower’s maintenance under live conditions demonstrates the company’s readiness to handle complex technical interventions without suspending the line’s operations, an essential capability for sustaining grid reliability,” an NTDC official stated.

Dr Rana Abdul Jabbar Khan, General Manager (HVDC), who supervised the activity, commended the crew for their “exceptional professionalism, teamwork, adherence to safety protocols and dedication.”

The Matiari-Lahore line, Pakistan’s first HVDC project, was executed by China Electric Power Equipment and Technology Co., Ltd. (CET) and sponsored by the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC).

It plays a vital role in stabilising the country’s power distribution network and reducing transmission losses.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025