LAHORE, Feb 24 (APP): National Grid Company of Pakistan (NGC) has expressed serious reservations regarding the questions raised in NEPRA (National Electric Power Regulatory Authority) performance evaluation report of the transmission sector for FY 24-25.
While highlighting the importance of a reliable national transmission system, the Company stated that it always remains fully committed to maintaining system stability, operational efficiency and as such playing a pivotal role in ensuring stabilization of the power system—an effort that needs to be acknowledged by all stakeholders.
In order to set the record straight, NGC spokesperson here Tuesday clarified several points raised in the report.
The loading of transmission assets such as transformers and transmission lines cannot be assessed in isolation. Pakistan’s power system operates as an interconnected national network, designed to safely manage normal demand as well as reasonably expected outages, in line with the Grid Code overseen by National Electric Power Regulatory Authority.
In such systems, it is normal for some equipment to appear lightly loaded at certain times, while the same equipment may carry higher loads during disturbances, outages, or unusual peak demand conditions. As a result, temporary loading above 80 percent does not automatically indicate overloading or risk.
An asset is considered genuinely overloaded only when it is persistently stressed over extended periods, leading to damage or forced load shedding.
Asset management records confirm that during FY 2024–25, instances of transformer loading above 80 percent at a limited number of grid stations occurred only for short durations during peak summer hours, remained within design limits, and did not result in any transformer damage or allied equipment alarms or load shedding. This demonstrates that the system continued to operate within safe operational margins.
The figures cited in the Nepra Report are based on maximum half-hourly recorded values over daily, monthly, or yearly periods. Such peak snapshots do not truly represent continuous operating conditions and can therefore give a misleading impression of persistent stress.
Transformer performance also depends heavily on temperature of the oil/winding, not just electrical current. All transformers installed by National Grid Company are designed for high ambient conditions of Pakistan. In recent years, system peaks have increasingly shifted to night-time due to solar generation, when ambient temperatures are lower, making similar electrical loading less severe than daytime operation. Therefore, declaring the transformer as overloaded solely on the basis of the recorded percentage of rated current is not justified unless it is correlated with the corresponding oil/winding temperature.
Localised references to overloading, such as Jamshoro, reflect temporary system conditions, for example when wind generation is low and alternative supply paths are limited. These situations are operationally managed and do not indicate continuous overloading of transformers or associated transmission lines.
At the same time, NGC continues to plan and implement targeted network reinforcements based on observed demand trends, ensuring system reliability is enhanced without unnecessary over-investment that would ultimately burden electricity consumers.
Power dispatch in Pakistan follows Security-Constrained Economic Dispatch (SCED), under which cost efficiency is balanced with system security, reliability, and stability. Merit-order dispatch is applied within this framework, but it may be adjusted where required due to transmission constraints, system conditions, outages, fuel limitations, or emergencies.
NGC acknowledges that most large transmission projects have experienced delays and cost increases, driven by a combination of external factors such as right-of-way and land acquisition challenges beyond the control of NGC, security-related constraints in certain project areas, litigation, changes in project scope due to evolving system needs, and extended procurement and financing processes for complex infrastructure.
At the same time, NGC recognises the need to further strengthen internal planning, execution, and governance frameworks and has already initiated reforms to improve project preparation, risk management, and delivery timelines, with support from international development partners, to ensure more efficient and predictable execution going forward.
The claim of under-utilisation 660 kV Matiari-Lahore HVDC transmission line is based on viewing the HVDC link in isolation, whereas such systems are designed to operate together with the wider AC transmission network to ensure safe and reliable power flow.
Power transfer on the HVDC corridor varies with system demand and grid conditions. During peak summer demand, the corridor has evacuated up to 4500 MW, demonstrating that the asset is actively used when required.
Recent completion of the Lahore North grid infrastructure has strengthened the network and increased the corridor’s power transfer capability. Further downstream strengthening at 132 kV level is still in progress, and its completion will allow even greater utilisation.
Accordingly, utilisation of major transmission assets should be viewed as part of an integrated corridor capacity and operational capability, rather than through isolated individual circuits.
Power flow from south to north varies with seasonal demand and system conditions. During the summer high-demand period, the transmission corridor operates without significant bottlenecks, particularly after the commissioning of the Lahore North grid station.
Some operational challenges can arise during the winter month (January), when overall demand is lower and the power system is relatively weaker. These conditions are seasonal and short-term, typically limited to a month.
To address this, work is already underway to strengthen the grid through reactive power and voltage support projects including STATCOMs and BESS, which will further stabilise the system and improve south-to-north power flows. These projects are being implemented with support from international development partners.
Accordingly, the south-to-north corridor should be seen as a seasonally constrained system that is actively being strengthened, rather than a permanent structural bottleneck.
The claim that Pakistan’s grid monitoring system is obsolete is not correct. The national SCADA system has evolved in phases, not remained unchanged. It was first installed in the early 1990s for basic grid monitoring, substantially upgraded during 2010–2013, and most recently modernised under a new digital SCADA platform that became operational in February 2025.
At present, real-time grid monitoring covers over 70 percent of the network and continues to expand as remaining substations and power plants complete their connectivity.
The monitoring gaps highlighted are not due to outdated control systems, but mainly due to delays in connecting field equipment at some locations to the existing modern SCADA platform.
In addition, to overcome the said constraint, a Wide Area Monitoring System (WAMS) pilot project has also been initiated to further enhance real-time grid visibility and system security.