LAHORE: The National Grid Company of Pakistan (NGC), formerly the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC), on Tuesday energised the 220kV Quaid-i-Azam Business Park Grid Station in Sheikhupura, marking a significant milestone in strengthening the country’s power transmission infrastructure.
The strategically located grid station has been developed to meet the growing electricity needs of large-scale industrial consumers operating within the Sheikhupura Special Economic Zone (SEZ). Completed at a cost of over Rs4 billion, the project was financed by the federal government under the Cash Deposit Loan (CDL) Facility and is aimed at ensuring a reliable and uninterrupted power supply to support industrial operations, business growth and economic development.
NGC management congratulated the project team on the successful energisation and commended their professionalism and technical expertise. Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, NGC Managing Director Engr Altaf Hussain Malik said that dedicated power infrastructure for special economic zones plays a critical role in attracting investment and generating employment. He added that the Quaid-i-Azam Business Park grid station has been designed to support long-term industrial expansion and inclusive socio-economic growth.
The newly energised facility has a transformation capacity of 500MVA at the 220/132kV level and is supported by around four kilometres of 220kV transmission lines interconnected with the regional grid. This configuration will enhance system stability, improve voltage profiles and provide the resilience needed to meet heavy industrial loads as well as future demand.
As the first grid station commissioned specifically for a SEZ, the project will also ease operational pressure on existing grid stations in Sheikhupura, Kala Shah Kaku, Bandala (Faisalabad) and surrounding industrial areas.
By improving supply reliability and reducing technical losses, the grid station is expected to minimise downtime for industrial consumers, boost productivity and improve cost efficiency. The availability of dependable power infrastructure is also likely to encourage new investment, accelerate industrial expansion, create employment opportunities and strengthen supply chains, contributing to overall economic and socio-economic development.
It is noteworthy that NGC last month energised the 500kV Lahore North Grid Station, further reinforcing the high-voltage transmission network in Punjab.
