Ex-PM, Opp MNAs visit NPCC, get briefing

LAHORE: The opposition members in the National Assembly visited National Power Control Centre (NPCC) on Sunday.

According to a spokesman for the National Transmission and Dispatch Company, a group of Members of National Assembly comprising former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Marriyum Aurangzeb and Rana Sanaullah visited the NTDC National Power Control Centre in Islamabad.

Joint Secretary Transmission, Power Division Ahmed Taimoor Nasir, Managing Director NTDC Engr Muhammad Ayub and officers from NPCC briefed the MNAs about current power situation, system operations of NPCC and responded to questions asked by the MNAs.

The NTDC MD apprised the delegation that the current nameplate capacity was 37,261-MW, dependable capacity was 33,565-MW, while current available capacity was lower due to outage of about 3,000-MW from Tarbela power station as a result of lower inflows due to Skardu temperature, forced and scheduled outages and transmission constraints.

While responding to another question, the MD said that the RFO plants were about 17% of system installed capacity and the plants were made operational on merit once system demand crosses 18,000-MW mark.

About the maximum capacity of the system, Joint Secretary NTDC said that on June 12, 2021, the transmission system successfully transmitted 23,795-MW with stable system; however, current maximum capacity was about 24,500 to 25,000-MW. He also said that the NPCC allocated quota of power to DISCOs in accordance with available generation.

The MD NTDC also informed that 660kV HVDC Matiari-Lahore transmission line will transmit a maximum 4000-MW from South to North and mostly cheaper power generation from coal, nuclear and future generation from Thar.

He said currently no load-management was being carried out. However, during the first 10 days of the current month, rise in temperature and heat-wave caused excessive demand for power, thus load management had to be carried out.

Apart from that load management on high loss feeders being carried out by Discos. He also said that competitive trading bilateral contracts market (CTBCM) implementation was being rigorously followed and was expected to be implemented by 2022.

The MNAs and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi appreciated the working of NTDC and its staff and later visited the control room of NPCC and witnessed the real time dispatch and control of power system.