Khurram Dastgir lays foundation stone of 500kV Suki Kinari transmission line project

ISLAMABAD, Nov 22 (APP): Minister for Power, Engr. Khurram Dastgir Khan Tuesday said that the present government was concentrating on environment friendly and affordable green energy through hydro, solar and wind sources.

Addressing the groundbreaking ceremony of Suki Kinari transmission line project near Kaghan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the minister said that the 75-kilometer-long 500 kv double circuit transmission line was being constructed with an estimated cost of Rs 18,704 million for evacuation of power from 884 MW Suki Kinari hydropower project.

The transmission line will connect the 884 MW Suki Kinari Hydel power plant to National Grid, through which power will be further transmitted to load centres of Pakistan, he told.

The minister said that the Suki Kinari Hydropower Project was started in 2017 under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) with an estimated cost of USD 2100 million, adding the project will generate around 3.129 billion kWh/units annually. Moreover, 6000 plus jobs will be created during the construction of this project.

The NEPRA had also awarded levelized tariff to M/s SK Hydro at the rate of Rs. 8.8145/kWh in 2014. The power plant will start electricity generation in Nov, 2024, the minister expressed.

Managing Director NTDC, Engr. Dr. Rana Abdul Jabbar Khan while speaking on the occasion, said that phase-1 of 500 kV Suki Kinari transmission line was being constructed through loan from local banks. He said that the transmission line would strengthen NTDC transmission network.

It will also help to flourish industrialization along with creation of employment for the public which will further bring improvement in socio-economic condition of country. Cheap and clean energy produced from Suki Kinari HPP will be supplied to domestic, agricultural and industrial consumers. The construction of transmission line will be completed prior to the CoD of hydro power project, he concluded.

Later, Khurram Dastgir along with MD (NTDC), MD (PPIB) and other senior officers from NTDC and Chinese company visited the Suki Kinari Hydropower project site.

Local political leadership, large number of locals and NTDC employees were also present during the groundbreaking ceremony.