LAHORE: Federal Minister for Energy (Power Division), Engr Khurram Dastgir Khan inaugurated a 220km long 500kV Thar-Matiari transmission line, completed by the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) the other day. This transmission line added 1980 MW of electricity generated from Thar coal to the National Grid.

The Federal Minister said that as per instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, NTDC worked hard and completed the Thar-Matiari transmission line in record time. More than 50% of the remaining work was completed in the shortest time. The project cost is around PKR 20 billion, which was completed through NTDC’s resources. PKR 21 billion were allocated for the project, and NTDC saved one billion rupees.

He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took a personal interest in this project and directed NTDC to complete it quickly. The Minister said that this project was to be completed four years ago, but during the previous government, work was halted. He said it is the most critical project in terms of future energy needs in Pakistan; officials of Power Division, MD NTDC and his team achieved the impossible by completing the work in record time. On the instructions of the Prime Minister, the production of electricity from Thar Coal has increased by 1980 MW this year, which has been added to the National Grid through this transmission line.

The Federal Minister said these projects are very important given the use of local coal that generates cheap electricity. He noted that NTDC had awarded projects worth Rs10 billion to local companies. Conductors, transformers and other materials are being produced locally.

Khurram said that NTDC, with the cooperation of DIG Hyderabad Police and other security agencies, has stopped the theft of material. For the first time, serious work has been done in this regard, for which I appreciate the efforts of MD NTDC and DIG Hyderabad Police.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023