NTDC working on CASA project

LAHORE: In pursuit of early completion of the project, the National Transmission and Despatch Company Limited (NTDC) has set up its Chief Engineer Camp Office at 500 KV HVDC Converter Station site in Nowshera along with Grounding Electrode for CASA-1000 Power Project near Azakhel Bala, Nowshera.

Managing Director NTDC Engr Muhammad Ayub inaugurated the NTDC camp office on Friday. He inspected the ongoing construction work of the project and directed completing the convertor station on war footings. The project is part of CASA-1000 which is being executed by Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. He said the establishment of the camp office will help improve coordination and communication between the NTDC and other stakeholders of the project.

The HVDC Convertor Station for CASA-1000 Power Project was handed over to the contractor 3 months ago, which has achieved 45 per cent progress on engineering and design and procurement of material and civil work. Ayub said the projects will be completed on fast track to achieve timeline. While talking about the CASA-1000 Power Project, he said 1300 MW clean power will be transmitted from Tajikistan to Pakistan during summer and will be helpful in maintaining the required voltage level and meet the increasing demand of the country. A 1270km transmission line is also under construction. Whereas the NTDC is constructing a 113km HVDC transmission line from Torkham border to Nowshera Converter Station. The transmission line will be completed by the end of 2022. He said that as per the contractual completion period, the HVDC Converter Station Project will be completed by August 2024. Both the projects, the transmission line and converter station will be completed at a cost of $205 million. Later, the MD NTDC planted a tree at the project site as part of an ongoing tree plantation campaign started in line with the prime minister’s vision of Clean and Green Pakistan.