‘Sahiwal coal plant plays pivotal role in energy sector’

LAHORE:The Sahiwal Coal Fire Power Plant (CFPP) is playing a pivotal role in addressing the demand for creative power, according to a press release issued here on Thursday.

The press release stated that by 2017 severe loadshedding crisis was affecting the city and its surrounding districts. During this period, the Sahiwal Coal Fired Power Plant (CFPP) was integrated into the national grid via a sophisticated in-and-out configuration at Qadirabad, Sahiwal District. The press release quoting an official of Sahiwal CFPP said prior to this, a direct 500 kV transmission line connected Yousafwala in Sahiwal to Lahore, establishing a unidirectional power existed between the two cities. The introduction of the Sahiwal CFPP altered this dynamic by facilitating bi-directional power flow, which optimised the efficiency of energy distribution, it said.

It also stated that historically, the lack of substantial generating capacity in this region posed significant stability challenges for the national grid. The commissioning of the Sahiwal CFPP has since enhanced the stability and reliability of electrical parameters within the grid. Lesco had previously experienced notable voltage fluctuations, particularly during peak periods. Despite the installation of static VAR compensators at various grid stations, voltage stability remained problematic. The addition of the 1320 MW capacity from the Sahiwal CFPP has substantially ameliorated the voltage profile in this region, said the press release.

The official of transmission planning at the National Transmission and Dispatch Company Limited (NTDCL) lauded the Sahiwal CFPP for its multiple contributions to the national grid system. These include enhancements in power supply stability within Sahiwal and its surrounding grid networks, improved grid stability and reliability, and better voltage regulation in the Mepco and Lesco areas. Prior to the Sahiwal power plant’s integration, the 500 kV Yousafwala substation was fed through a network of transmission lines from other substations, rather than directly from generating units. This setup complicated load management and stability. An official at 500 kV Yousafwala Grid Station observed that before the CFPP Sahiwal was added the 500 kV auto transformer banks at Yousafwala were underutilised relative to the load demands of the Discos, Mepco, Lesco and Fesco.

Consequently, maintaining system stability often necessitated loadshedding at the Disco level, despite the implementation of under-frequency schemes on 132 kV transmission lines at the NTDC level. The CFPP's addition has not only optimised the use of existing auto transformer banks at Yousafwala but also led to the installation of an additional 600 MVA auto transformer bank, thereby reducing loadshedding across DISCOs. Another significant advantage of the Sahiwal CFPP is its impact on the voltage profile in surrounding DISCOS, ensuring that most inductive loads at the consumer end receive sufficient reactive power. An engineer at Mepco noted, “The establishment of the Coal Fired Power Plant in Sahiwal markedly improved voltage levels at the 500 kV Yousafwala Grid Station. Previously, the grid was fed by two 500 kV single-circuit lines from Sheikhupura and Multan, covering distances of 195 km and 180 km, respectively.