Ayesha Saba

National Grid Company (NGC) has sped up Mohmand and Suki Kinari, Kohala, and Mahal hydropower projects for the evacuation of power to strengthen transmission infrastructure in less developed regions.

According to official documents available with Wealth Pakistan, the Phase-II transmission lines for power evacuation from the Suki Kinari, Kohala, and Mahal hydropower projects have made significant progress. With a PC-1 cost of Rs79.93 billion, the ADB-funded project has already achieved a significant milestone as the 500kV Double Circuit Quad Bundle Transmission Line from Suki Kinari (884MW) to Sangal was successfully energized on June 27, 2024.

Survey and soil investigation work for the remaining transmission lines has been completed, and procurement contracts for essential materials, including towers, conductors, shield wires, and grounding equipment, have been awarded and finally delivered. Furthermore, construction contracts for the 500kV Maira–Islamabad and 500kV Maira–Karot transmission lines have been awarded, with Notices of Award (NOA) formally released on July 22, 2025, marking the start of field activities.

Meanwhile, another key initiative, the evacuation of power from 816MW Mohmand Dam, is advancing on multiple fronts. It is a critical project financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The project, with a PC-1 cost of Rs14.319 billion, is expected to be completed between 2026 and 2027. While the consultancy tender is yet to be awarded, progress has been made on material procurement.

For the transmission lines, contracts for conductors, OPGW, and dampers have already been awarded, whereas tenders for towers and other essential materials are currently under evaluation. Similarly, for transmission line bays, contracts for 245kV current transformers, CVTs, and CCVTs have been finalized, and procurement for remaining equipment such as circuit breakers, disconnectors, control panels, gantries, and telecom equipment is under review.

Revised bidding documents for surge arrestors and hardware are also being prepared, while tenders for civil works are being finalized. The NGC highlighted that the Transmission System Expansion Plan (TSEP) is fully synchronized with the Indicative Generation Capacity Expansion Plan (IGCEP), ensuring all power evacuation needs are strategically planned and executed.

While the supply of electricity to end consumers falls within the mandate of respective DISCOs, the company reaffirmed that NGC remains focused on expanding and modernizing the national transmission infrastructure to meet the future power demand efficiently. Officials expressed optimism that the timely completion of these projects will significantly enhance grid reliability, enable smooth evacuation of clean hydropower energy, and reduce transmission bottlenecks, contributing to a more resilient and sustainable energy future for Pakistan.

Credit: INP-WealthPk