Existing transmission network being upgraded: Awais

ISLAMABAD, Mar 14 (APP):Minister for Power Division Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari Wednesday said the government was working on upgrading the existing transmission network to make it more reliable and efficient and National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) has been asked to take the necessary measures.
Chairing 115th meeting of the Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB) here the minister said the government realized the importance of transmission lines in complimenting the upcoming power generation projects.
Current transmission network needed to be strengthened and made reliable to support government aim of achieving sustainability in the system, he said.
At the same time private sector was also being encouraged to contribute in network expansion, he said.
The minister said as a result so far, Pakistan’s first ever HVDC Transmission Line project had already been initiated in the private sector under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) while several other projects were being planned to launch through international competitive bidding, said a press release.
Managing Director PPIB Shah Jahan Mirza briefed the Board on various projects being implemented by PPIB under the CPEC.
In today’s meeting, the Board approved extension in Financial Close deadline of +660 KV HVDC Matiari-Lahore Transmission Line being processed under the CPEC.
The Board also allowed extension in Financial Close deadlines of Thar coal based power projects being processed under CPEC which include 330 MW Project by Thar Energy Limited and 330 MW Project by Thal Nova Thar Pvt. Ltd.
The minister said that the current government believed in the policy of facilitating investors, and extending full support to them for processing and timely completion of their projects.
Shah Jahan Mirza while briefing the Board on the performance of PPIB stated that extensive efforts were being made to cultivate Thar coal and hydro potential for power generation.
Mirza said that PPIB was successfully meeting the challenging and ambitious timelines of the current government for addition of huge quantum of power generation capacity in the national grid. Within a period of less than one year, two projects of 1467 MW have started commercial operations while another four projects of 5000 MW cumulative power capacity have achieved partial commissioning as well, he added.
The minister remarked that sustainability in power system was a must to do task of the government next to balancing the demand-supply situation. Merely, providing additional megawatts would not be sufficient to gain real goals, he added.
He said Pakistan’s future lies in the indigenous and renewable energy for which serious efforts were being put in.
National Electricity Plan and a new Energy Policy were steps to consolidate these efforts which would act as a guide for future capacity expansions as well as choice of fuels etc, he said.
The meeting was attended by Minister of State for Power Ch. Abid Sher Ali, Yousaf Naseem Khokhar, Secretary Ministry of Energy (Power Division), Arif Ahmed Khan, Secretary Ministry of Finance, Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui, Ministry of Planning, Development & Reform, Lieutenant General Muzammil Hussain, Chairman WAPDA representatives of Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division), Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan provinces and AJ&K, a private sector member, besides, Executives Director and Directors of PPIB and other senior government officials.