The 660kV High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Matiari-Lahore Transmission Line for evacuation of 4,000MW electricity has been surrounded by controversy since the beginning. Currently the transmission line is being highlighted due to the inaccurate commercial operation date (COD) for the project.
CoD means declaration of the start of formal commercial operation after complete testing of any project as per its full capacity and specification. But in this case, the line’s CoD was completed at 2800MW instead of the actual installed capacity of evacuating 4,000MW of power. This is unfathomable why the successful commissioning of the project has been granted when it has not been tested at its full capacity yet.
It is pertinent to mention that another two officers, had earlier also opposed each other on this issue. And one (HVDC GM), through a letter on Jan 3 had said: “The approval of the CoD cannot be accorded until the fulfillment of all codal formalities as required in Transmission Service Agreement (TSA) and rectification of the discrepancies,”
The top management of NTDC maintains that such measures had been taken because 4000MW generation was not available at the time of commissioning of the project. Only 2800MW was available at the time of commissioning. Now when 4000MW power capacity would be available the line would be tested at the full installed capacity.
