LAHORE: The 500kV Lahore (North) grid station is likely to be commissioned partially by next month, paving the way to evacuate power from the Matiari-Lahore High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission line for supply to the various cities of Gujranwala division through 500kV Nokhar grid station and transmission lines near Gakhar, Gujranwala.

The project was delayed due to land acquisition and other administrative issues and was scheduled to be completed last summer. However, according to official sources, the newly constituted board of directors (BoD) took serious notice of the delay, resolving most of the issues in the way of completion.

“The transmission lines have already been completed. However, the grid station couldn’t be completed on time due to issues related to land acquisition, as various landowners went to courts. But now, there is no issue in this regard,” an official source in the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) explained while talking to Dawn on Saturday.

Matiari-Lahore line to transmit up to 4,000MW electricity by March

According to the official, who requested anonymity, as many as 2,200MW of power is currently being transmitted by the 4,000MW Matiari-Lahore HVDC line. After receiving the power in Alternate Current (AC) from the AC transmission lines, the energy is converted into Direct Current (DC) by a converter station at Matiari (near Hyderabad). After carrying the load in DC mode, the converter station at Lahore (near Balloki) converts the power into AC for onward supply to AC lines.

“Four lines from Matiari-Lahore HVDC line’s Balloki converter station have been completed. Two connect to the 500kV New Lahore Sarfraz Nagar (Phoolnagar) grid station for power transmission to Lahore metropolitan city and adjoining areas. One has been laid from the converter station to Nokhar (Gujranwala), and the last one has been completed from the converter station to the motorway (near Sheikhupura). The total length of both lines, which connect Nokhar and Motorway, is 113km, and both were completed in December last year,” the official explained.

A senior official, who wished not to be identified, said the Matiar-Lahore line has an installed capacity of 4,000MW, so the NTDC needs power as per demand. “At present, the line is transmitting 2,200MW. However, it will increase by 400MW soon when the 500kV North Lahore grid station has an installation of a transformer and some connectors and starts operating partially in the coming days,” he explained.

“And by March next year, three more transformers would be installed, commissioning the project to supply another 1,200MW from the HVDC line. This project would be commissioned fully by Marc,h subject to the availability of all equipment, which is sometimes delayed due to import-related issues.

It is pertinent to mention that the Lahore north substation project is being executed under the Second Power Transmission Enhancement Investment Programme — Tranche-3 — in funding collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2024