The project was completed with $436 million including $97 million assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and commercial operation was achieved in November 2017.
He further said the NTDC had arranged power dispersal from 147 MW Patrind Hydropower Project prior to its commercial operation date and connected it with the power system. Power generated through the said hydropower project is being evacuated without any interruption, added the NTDC spokesperson.
He further said reports wherein impression was given that NTDC is unable to evacuate power from said powerhouse was not correct and said the statement of a senior official of Patrind Hydropower Project is based on mala fide intentions and is incorrect.
While elaborating the details, the NTDC spokesperson told that NTDC provided a 132 KV double circuit transmission line for evacuation of power from 147 MW Patrind Hydropower Project to 132 KV Grid Station Rampura Muzaffarabad on April 28, 2017. The powerhouse started its commercial operation on November 09, 2017. It is asserted that the available NTDC network is reliable and effectively evacuating power from 147 MW Patrind HPP throughout the year.
The powerhouse is delivering maximum generated power successfully (depending on water in flows) which is maximum in summer.
The NTDC spokesperson said in addition to the above arrangement, the NTDC is completing construction work of a 45 kilometres long 132 kV double circuit transmission line from Patrind Hydropower Project to 220 kV Grid Station Mansehra on fast track.
The spokesperson further said the pending completion of the transmission line has no adverse effect on the power dispersal of 147 MW Patrind HPP. The transmission line is in the final stages of completion. Dedicated team of the NTDC engineers has been deputed to look after this project since the NTDC management is fully aware of the importance of the projects and directed the departments concerned to submit progress reports on weekly basis.
A senior official at the Patrind Power Project recently told a media group that the government has been unable to transmit full electricity production of the 147 MW Patrind Hydropower Project on account of failure of the NTDC to complete the transmission line, incurring billion of losses to the national exchequer.
The Patrind Hydropower Project has produced 480 GWHs of electricity since its commercial operations in November 2017 against the production of 640 GWHs estimated in the PC-1, said the senior officials of the project.
Chief Engineer Habib-ur-Rehman Jadoon told that as per the commitment, the NTDC had to complete transmission line before the project completion but quoting financial constraints, it revised the deadline repeatedly. Now the NTDC has given the commitment to complete the 45 kilometres long Mansehra transmission line for Patrind Power Project by June 2019, but it seems too difficult, the officials revealed in a background briefing to a select group of media persons.
The transmission line from Patrind to Mansehra is 45 kilometres which would be a relaxed line and would reduce tripping probability.
The existing load of 150 MW is not supported by Muzaffarabad-Attia-Jhelum-Mangla transmission line, which is a long, old and complex route and resultantly voltage drops. "When we operate the project in peak, we face problems due to inability of the NTDC to transmit the maximum power, as they ask for reduce load."