NTDC to evacuate power from Tarbela 5th extension project

ISLAMABAD, July 29 (Gwadar Pro)-The National Transmission and Dispatch Co. (NTDC) has awarded contract for construction of transmission line to evacuate electricity from 1530 megawatts5th extension project at Tarbela dam.

The project, co-financed by World Bank and China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), aims at elevating the level of 5th tunnel of the country’s largest dam to save it from an eminent collapse, and also at the installation of a 1530MWs powerhouse.World Bank will provide $390 million for the project. AIIB has already disbursed its share of $300 million as sovereign loan, with the last tranche issued on June 1, 2022, the multilateral lender said recently.

Contract for the 50-kilometre long 500 kV transmission line was awarded to the Lahore-based NETRACON Technologies, NTDC said on July 27.

The project also includes a 2.8-kilometre-long 500 kV single-circuit transmission line to interconnect the switchyards of T4 and T5 powerhouses, it added. T5 will be connected with the planned 500 kV Islamabad West Grid Station, NTDC further said.

According to AIIB, the project will have an annual generation capacity of 1,800 gigawatt-hours.The total capacity at Tarbela with the induction of Tarbela 5th extension will become 6,298 MWs and annual average generation will increase to 19,000 GWh, it said.

NTDC said that the project will be completed in two years. The addition of low-cost clean and green energy from the project will increase the sustainability of the country’s energy regime, it concluded.