ISLAMABAD: Facing network instability, high consumption, and generation growth, the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) has introduced a new load dispatch system in order to better manage the transmission network.
In this regard, China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) and Hitachi ABB Power Grids have been awarded a project of all-new Load Dispatch System (LDS) to support the country’s sustainable energy goals, WealthPK reported.
The LDS will allow Pakistan’s major energy transmission provider to improve the visibility of network events and automate features that will allow additional renewable energy resources to be incorporated into the country’s power infrastructure. The project is anticipated to help Pakistan to expand its renewables portfolio from the current 4% to 30% by 2030.
Engr. Azaz Ahmad, Managing Director of NTDC, said, “The project will improve the NTDC’s operations by increasing visibility and control, strengthening system stability, and reducing system collapse and blackout occurrences in future. Key features include optimal power flow, load forecasting, and automatic generation control, which will automate the process of deciding the most efficient use of power plants to meet the energy needs of the country”.
“This NTDC flagship project, funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), will open new possibilities for the company by combining automation and long-term international best practices to create a secure and efficient grid”.
According to the WealthPK research, as of 30th June 2021, the NTDC is maintaining 16 (sixteen) 500 kV grid stations with a transformation capacity of 30,610MVA. There are 44 (forty-four) 500/220 kV transformers and 34 (thirty-four) 220/132 kV transformers installed at these grid stations. The NTDC also maintains 46 grid stations at 220kV level with a transformation capacity of 25,770MVA.
There are 129 (one hundred and twenty-nine) 220/132 kV transformers installed at 220 kV grid stations.
During the FY 2020-21, the length of transmission lines of NTDC at 500kV increased from 7,238km to 8,059km, while the length of transmission line at 220kV increased from 11,281km to 11,438km. Similarly, during FY 2020-21, one (01) Power Transformer was added at 500/220kV level, while three (03) power transformers were added at 220/132 kV level in the NTDC system.
The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has long been emphasizing the need to deploy a modern SCADA System by the NPCC to supervise and control the economic dispatch of electric power generation. This project team will install a SCADA Energy Management System (EMS) at the NTDC’s national control centre in Islamabad and the backup control centre in Jamshoro to accomplish this. From the control centres, the NTDC workers will be able to monitor all power plants and grid stations in near real-time as well as assist in expanding capacity for future stations and remote endpoints.
The remote monitoring of the electric power system has been made easy by the technological solution in shape of SCADA being used by efficient system operators around the world. However, in Pakistan, system operations are still not fully automated. The use of primitive manual methods to control the system is the main impediment to the efficient and effective functioning of the system operator.
The availability, accessibility, and affordability of electricity for the people countrywide are necessary for economic progress as well as social uplift of the citizens. Rapid technological advancement and unique commercial dynamics of the power sector pose complex challenges to the policymakers and planners to develop a sector capable of ensuring energy security and affordability for all segments of the society.
The complexity of the power sector calls for robust planning with flexibility to adjust to the changing technological and commercial realities.
INP
