Penalised: Regulator imposes Rs10m fine on NTDC

Action taken due to delay in building transmission lines, grid stations

ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has imposed a fine of Rs10 million on the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) for undue delay in power transmission projects.

These projects include transmission lines for power plants and associated development work including the setting up of 500-kilovolt and 220kv grid stations. The power-sector regulator penalised the state-owned transmission company after noting an abnormal delay in the completion of interconnection arrangement for 404-megawatt Uch-II power plant. The interconnection system included the laying of a 220kv transmission line over 125 kilometres from the power plant to Sibi.



Uch-II is one of the cheapest gas-based power plants that is currently running through an interim arrangement.

The plant, which was commissioned in April 2014, has not been utilised fully because of the incomplete interconnection arrangement. Similar was the case of 747MW Guddu new power plant, commissioned in April 2014, which was operating in an interim arrangement despite a lapse of almost four years.

Furthermore, Nepra noted that as per contracts 220kv Mansehra, 220kv Chakdara, 220kv DI Khan and 220kv Nowshera grid stations should have been completed by December 2016.

However, these grid stations have not been completed yet and as a result, certain areas of K-P are facing low voltage and power supply constraints.



Apart from these, 500kv Rahim Yar Khan grid station has been delayed by six years, 220kv Dera Murad Jamali grid station has been delayed by four years and 220kv Ghazi Road Lahore grid station has been behind schedule by more than one year. Work is ongoing on these grid stations.

Moreover, 220kv Chistian and 220kv Gujrat grid stations had been completed with a delay of three and two years respectively. “The delay in these projects has not only caused serious technical and financial complications, but has also resulted in low voltage and lengthy load-shedding,” Nepra said in a statement issued on Thursday.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2018.

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