NTDC connects 147MW plant to national grid

Power generation will be raised to optimal level after testing

LAHORE: The Patrind hydropower plant has been connected to Muzaffarabad-II grid station through a 132 kV double circuit transmission line in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, said a spokesman for the National Transmission and Despatch Company Limited (NTDC).

One unit of the plant started power generation on Tuesday and has been connected with the national grid. However, after completion of the testing process power generation will be increased to its optimal level.

The spokesman said that the 147MW Patrind hydropower plant will benefit the areas of Hazara and AJK. A separate transmission line will also be connected with 220 kV Mansehra Grid Station, which will improve the voltage level and help reduce load-shedding in AJK and Hazara Division.

He said that the government was committed to eradicating load-shedding from the country and in this regard the NTDC has already provided transmission interconnection facilities to many power generation projects with their total installed capacity of 6,164MW.

These projects include Bhikki 1,200MW, Haveli Bahadur Shah 1,200MW, Balloki 1,200MW, Sahiwal 1,320MW, Chashma C3 and C4 680MW, Quaid-e-Azam, 400MW (for the remaining 600MW, a 220 kV transmission line and associated substation is already complete) and Renolia 17MW.

During the current financial year, several 500 kV and 220 kV transmission line projects are at their advanced stages of construction. For instance, out of the total 1,123 km of 500 kV transmission lines of various projects, construction progress varies between from 60-90%.

These lines include Neelum-Jhelum to Domeli, 3rd Circuit Jamshoro-Moro-Dadu-Rahim Yar Khan, Balloki to New Lahore, Haveli Bahadur Shah of 2nd interconnection and Port Qasim to the connection point at NKI to Jamshoro line.

Transmission line to interconnect Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project is 90% complete. Similarly, out of the total 614 km of 220 kV transmission lines of multiple projects construction progress ranges from 62- 98%.

The replacement of existing 220 kV transmission line to evacuate Tarbela Ext-4 (1410MW) power is currently under progress and shall be completed well before completion of the power plant extension project.

The spokesman further said that NTDC has substantially reinforced its network with 2000 MVA transformation capacity. This has been done by adding power transformers in newly constructed 220 kV Chishtian and 220 kV Gujrat substations along with augmenting of three 250 MVA transformers each at 500 kV Shiekh Muhammadi, 220 kV Burhan and 220 kV Ludewala substations.

All these additions and expansions have greatly contributed to alleviate the existing transmission system constraints and provide adequate room for serving additional demand on the system.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 14^th, 2017.

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