Nepra approves Rs352.32bn investment plan for NTDC

ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has approved a substantial investment plan totaling Rs352.32 billion for the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) during the three-year tariff control period from fiscal year 2022-23 to 2024-25. This decision adheres to the provisions of Section 32 of the Nepra Act, 1997, along with Nepra’s guidelines for determining revenue requirements and service charges for transmission licensees.

The investment plan outlines significant allocations across various categories. For FY 2022-23, the total investment is estimated at approximately Rs118.5 billion, with specific allocations including Rs2.334 billion for Special Economic Zones (SEZs), Rs101.813 billion for Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) Funded Ongoing Works, Rs648 million for PSDP Funded New Works, and Rs10.467 billion for Self-Financed Ongoing Works. Additionally, Rs1.594 billion has been allocated for PSDP Funded Completed Works, while Rs1.659 billion is earmarked for Foreign Funded Completed Works. Projected investments for FY 2023-24 include Rs16.563 billion for SEZs, Rs91.388 billion for PSDP Funded Ongoing Works, and Rs414 million for PSDP Funded New Works. The plan also allocates Rs4.031 billion for Self-Financed Ongoing Works, Rs32 million for PSDP Funded Completed Works and Rs696 million for Foreign Funded Completed Works.

In FY 2024-25, NTDC’s investment projections feature Rs5.053 billion for SEZs, Rs76.965 billion for PSDP Funded Ongoing Works and Rs37.765 billion for PSDP Funded New Works. Additionally, Rs700 million is allocated for Self-Financed Ongoing Works and Rs200 million for Foreign Funded Completed Works. Costs associated with land acquisition for solar projects and third-party audit fees will be categorized as separate line items during tariff determination for respective solar power plants.

NEPRA has also set Transmission and Transformation (T&T) loss targets for NTDC, with a target of 2.422 percent for FY 2022-23. Provisional targets of 2.50 percent have been established for FY 2023-24 and FY 2024-25, contingent upon actual losses determined from Centralized Data Processing (CDP) metering data.

The approved investment is subject to independent quarterly audits, with an indicative cost of Rs200 million allocated for this purpose, adjustable based on the approved audit costs. A third-party firm will be appointed to ensure the fairness of CAPEX claims in line with best practices.