Underutilisation of MTL: report yet to be submitted to PM
ISLAMABAD: A high level committee headed by Federal Minister Dr Musadik Malik is yet to submit its report on underutilisation of over $ 1.5 billion Matiari to Lahore ±660 KV HVDC Transmission Line (MTL) to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif despite passage of one year, sources told Business Recorder.
In April last, Prime Minister had constituted a committee headed by the then Minister for Petroleum Senator Musadik Malik (now Minister for Climate Change) to probe non-utilisation of full capacity of Matiari Transmission Line.
The committee included Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, Secretary Power Division, Chairman National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) and former Managing Director NTDC/ Dr Fiaz Ahmed Chaudhary and had been given one-week to complete the task assigned.
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The Terms of Reference (ToRs) of the inquiry committee are as follows: (i) probe into non-utilisation of full capacity of Matiari Transmission Line for evacuation and transmission of power from south and north; (ii) determine the deficiencies in planning for evacuation and transmission through high voltage line leading to low utilisation while making high capacity payments despite the fact that there was ample lead for completion of power plants in south of the country; (iii) fix responsibility in case of negligence by the responsible person(s) and entity and recommend action; (iv) consider/ recommend way forward and immediate remedial measures for maximum evacuation and transmission of power from south to north; and (v) any other issue appropriate and relevant to NTL issue.
The issue of evacuation of power from south to north is always part of discussion during public hearing on Fuel Charges Adjustments (FCAs) at Nepra. The financial impact of imported fuels being used in expensive plants is made part of the FCA and charged to consumers. The key reason of this factor, as NPCC/ NTDC officials claim, is non-evacuation of power from south to north due to system constraints. Nepra has withheld an amount of Rs 47 billion of NTDC as the latter has not improved its transmission system.
The sources said Prime Minister Office (PMO) has asked the Committee to submit its report to the Prime Minister.
According to sources most of coal and wind generation is situated in South (Sindh) whereas maximum demand is Central Punjab like Lahore, Faisalabad and Gujranwala. In some places, length of transmission line is 1000 kilometres.
The sources argue that to maintain the electric and magnetic force of electricity intact, reactive energy is required as fluctuation in frequency can lead to system's breakdown.
The sources further stated that to maintain the magnetic force, reactive energy is required in the mid-way of transmission line but unreliable reactive energy is available throughout the transmission line, which is one of the reasons for underutilisation of MTL.
'Neither required capacitors are available nor the power plants to generate reactive power as in the past like Muzaffargarh power plants which are now shutdown. Guddu is also not available most of the time,' the sources continued.
There is also a need to strengthen the demand function in areas like Lahore, but there was no grid station to maintain the demand.
In 2022, NTDC started two mega projects of new grid stations and transmission lines in a bid to reduce system and line losses and improve voltage profile of the Lahore Electric Supply Company but the project is still incomplete.
Recently, Chairman NEPRA, who is also member of the PM Committee, grilled NTDC for its failure to complete the project and seeking extensions repeatedly.
The sources said that there is also discussion that in case no power plant is available for reactive energy, then compensatory capacitors be installed to ensure stability in electricity supply from MTL.
The sources argue that when demand is reduced to 8000MW or 9000MW, frequency is misbalanced due to which breakdowns occur.
Another issue is that jumpstarts facility of engines of power plants does not work when energy is reduced to zero as energy is also required to start the first engine. This facility is available but does not work when the system requires it like what happened during the last breakdown.
When contacted, Convener of the Committee, Dr Musadik Malik told this scribe that report is ready to be presented to the Prime Minister, adding that he would attempt to give a presentation to the Prime Minister next week.
However, one of the Committee members said that the inquiry report is with the committee members for final review, adding that it is not that simple.
Another source told this scribe that the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank, AIIB and EIB are ready to finance installation of reactive power compensation devices. The project is likely to start in 2026-27.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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