ISLAMABAD: The National Grid Company of Pakistan Limited (NGC) has directed concerned independent power producers (IPPs) and other plant operators to restore remote telemetry units (RTUs), gateways and associated communication links by specified deadlines, as the company seeks to achieve at least 95 percent Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) data quality by October 31, 2026.
In a letter addressed to Rihan Akhtar, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), CPPA-G, Managing Director NGC Altaf Hussain, underscored the importance of restoring real-time data transmission from the stations identified in an annexure to the letter. The communication calls for urgent action to ensure the availability of operational data to the system operator.
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The letter refers to the Grid Code 2023, particularly Clauses OC 9.5.3.2 and OC 9.5.3.5, which require each user, at its own cost, to install and maintain the telemetry, networking and communication equipment necessary for real-time data exchange with the System Operator’s SCADA system. The cited provisions also prohibit withholding such data.
Under the action plan, the concerned plant operators and companies have been asked to restore RTUs, gateways and associated communication links by the respective target dates specified in the annexure. They have also been directed to designate station-wise focal persons to coordinate with the Independent System and Market Operator (ISMO) and NGC’s SCADA-III Project Management Unit (PMU).
The companies are further required to confirm the successful restoration of real-time data transmission to ISMO, with a copy of the confirmation sent to the NGC managing director’s office.
NGC stated that it is implementing an accelerated action plan to achieve the target of at least 95 percent SCADA data quality by October 31, 2026. While telemetry restoration at NGC-owned stations is proceeding according to schedule, the company has indicated that achieving the overall target also depends on the timely restoration of the stations identified in the annexure.
The company’s SCADA-III PMU and regional telecommunications teams will provide technical assistance and coordinate interfaces with the concerned plant operators to facilitate restoration of the required systems.
The directive highlights the importance of reliable real-time data exchange between power plants and the system operator for the secure, reliable and efficient operation of the national grid. SCADA systems enable the monitoring and supervisory control of power-system equipment, while telemetry links transmit operational information from generating stations to the system operator.
The availability of accurate and timely data is particularly important for monitoring the status of generating units and grid-connected facilities. Interruptions in telemetry or communication links can limit the visibility of plant operating conditions available to the system operator.
The letter places responsibility for installing and maintaining the required telemetry and communication equipment on the respective users, while NGC has committed to providing technical assistance and interface coordination through its designated teams.
However, the letter does not specify the names of all affected power plants in its main text, the number of stations requiring restoration, or the extent of the shortfall in SCADA data quality. These details are referred to in the annexure, which is not available in the supplied document.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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