ISLAMABAD: In response to a news story "NTDC, CPPA-G charge-sheeted for causing billion of rupees loss to consumers" carried by Business Recorder, the Spokesman for National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) has clarified that NTDC always follow the merit order whereas for safety, security & integration of system NEPRA Gird Code has empowered the System Operator to run the system stable in order to transmit smooth and quality power supply without interruption to the consumers across the country. However, in certain instances the System Operator is constrained to operate some of the power plants, which may be lower at the merit order, but are essentially required to maintain the system stability. This is precisely as per the provision of grid code.

The spokesman said that "it needs to be appreciated that power generated at any voltage level is ultimately delivered at 132 kV level. So from the system stability point of view, the plant connected at 132 kV level helps the system operator to feed the load directly and maintain the system stability.

"It is highlighted that the power system worldwide is planned in such a way that the generation is preferably provided in the load centers at low transmission levels, in this way higher voltage infrastructure is saved.

"In NPCC system the FO plants have connected at 132 kV level to evacuate the power and transmit to load canters located in the close vicinity".

The spokesman asserted that "if the plants are not operated, then the power flow has to be ensured from other plants in those specific areas which result in overloading of transmission assets".

NTDC spokesman updated that owing to load restrictions on the transmission assets, to save them from overloading and resultant damage, which might result in loss of billions in terms of replacement required and time consumed in repair or replacement. Nevertheless, as cheaper source of power are now being injected in the system. NPCC in consultation with rest of the departments of NTDC will work out some system modifications to ensure that reliance on RFO plants for system stability is gradually reduced.

The spokesman further said that "100% utilization of power plants can only be achieved once there is no schedule/maintenance outage is allowed/availed by power plant, there is No Forced Outages Event/tripping of Power Plants, No Network/System Constraints and constant load and Load Pattern of the customers (i.e No change in customer load) round the clock, round the year which is impossible not only in Pakistan but even in whole world". The spokesman said that 100 % utilization of power plants have not been experienced in any country of the world.