Plan to lay another high voltage power line from Thar to Lahore is being considered by the government for transmission of 4,000 megawatts of electricity. This is part of the next five year developmental plan for the energy sector, which may get featured in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in the near future.
Initial plans and project feasibility are already underway for the Thar-Lahore power transmission line, and China-Electric Power Equipment and Technology Company will be handed over the task of completing this project. The length of the transmission line is expected to be over 900 kilometres and will cross through several rural areas of Sindh and Punjab, an official told.
The approximate cost for this project is believed to be in the region of $1.6b, but may cross $2b when it is ready in time for execution starting from conclusion of its feasibility study, initial and detailed route surveys to land acquisition. On conclusion of the feasibility study, the PC-I which covers nearly every aspect of a project will then be prepared.
The government of Pakistan will be responsible for the land acquisition in this project and the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) would be required to get the project completed on a ‘build, operate and transfer’ basis through the contractor under the plan.
