China-Pakistan China-Pakistan: Deadlock in commissioning of Matiari-Lahore HVDC transmission project
Chinese company Pak Matiari- Lahore Transmission Company (PMLTC), which completed ±660kV Matiari-Lahore HVDC Transmission Project with investment of $2.2 billion in two years time, has threatened to move the international arbitration court against Pakistan government -owned company National Transmission Dispatch Company (NTDC), stating that it is creating hurdles in the commissioning of the project, media reports said.
The Chinese company has asked the board of directors of NTDC to hold a meeting and give it an opportunity for briefing on the causes of oscillation that happened on Dec 2, 2020 during the commissioning of the system, reports The News International.
It is a major flagship project of CPEC scheduled to achieve commercial operations date (COD) on 1st of March 2021. However, due to the deadlock, the commercial operation date of the project is in jeopardy, the newspaper reports.
In a letter written on February 06, 2021 to chairman of NTDC Board Naveed Ismail, Zhang Lei, Chief Executive Officer of Pak Matiari-Lahore Transmission Company, said that PMLTC completed the project in two years time and started the system commissioning on Dec 1, 2020, reported the newspaper.
The letter also mentions that since the oscillation event occurred on Dec 2, 2020, the commissioning was suspended by NTDC for more than two months now and more than 300 engineers and technicians are sitting idle at the site, the newspaper further reported.
The crucial letter has been copied to the Federal Energy Minister, Secretary Power Division and Director General (China), China Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
NTDC MD Dr Khawaja Riffat Hasan did not respond to the questions of The News on the deadlock.
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