JICA Strives Hard To Steer Pakistan Out Of Energy Crisis

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Dec, 2018 ) :First Secretary, Deputy Head of Economic and Development Section, Embassy of Japan Shinichi Honda has said that Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is committed to continue assisting National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) for steering Pakistan out of the prevailing energy crisis.

Talking to Islamabad-based journalists in Lahore during a visit to JICA project sites pertaining to electricity by NTDC and water (WASA-LDA), he said, "We will continue to assist NTDC to bring the country out of energy crisis." HONDA said that each year, a press tour of Japan Official Development Assistance is arranged to Lahore to visit the project sites and to meet the officials of concerned departments. He said that the tour actually meant to provide more details about the JICA projects implemented in Pakistan.

XEN-Executive Engineer (H.V), NTDC, M. Usman while briefed the journalists, JICA and embassy officials that energy related projects included 220/132kV Shalamar Substation (GIS) and allied 220kV D/C Overhead Transmission Line in collaboration with JICA assistance.

He said that the GIS has brought relief to the power distribution system by increasing the system capacity to meet load demand, reducing overloading of the existing 220kV NTDC & 132kV LESCO system, improving voltage profile of LESCO 132kV network, improving reliability of NTDC system, reducing forced load-shedding and transmission system losses.

The Executive Engineer said that the grid station has increased system reliability by reducing number of trippings/break-downs of transmission lines, reducing T/F and T/L loading condition: 132KV Grid Station SMR-I: 60% and 132KV Grid Station SMR-II: 60%.

He said that power from the GIS is transmitted in high voltage for avoiding transmission losses.

The Managing Director of Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Lahore, Zahid Majeed, briefed the journalists, JICA and embassy officials on water related projects carried out by WASA in collaboration with JICA.

He said that WASA-Lahore was the second largest water utility agency of Pakistan providing water supply, drainage and sanitation service to around 11.3 million people.

The Managing Director added that with the JICA assistance of Rs. 5 billion, multiple projects have been completed including preparatory study for improvement of water supply, sewerage and storm water, business and WASA regulation plans, energy management and improvement of the agency.

Zahid Majeed said, in phase-I, pumps and thrash racks were installed on main outfall and machinery was supplied for retrieval of sewerage and drainage of water while in phase-II, pumping machinery and thrash racks were replaced at Khokhar Road for retrieval of sewerage and drainage.

Technical equipments were provided for conserving energy and savings in water supply system besides replacing 105 tube-wells in Lahore, he added. The MD said that trainings were organized in two phases for WASA officials in Electricity Directorate of WASA, Lahore.

He, however, said that WASA is facing severe problems regarding Non-Revenue Water (NRW) and currently, only 40,000 meters were installed in water supply system of WASA Lahore.

The current billing system of WASA mainly relied on the fixed tariff slabs based on the plot size of the residential and commercial buildings, he added.

He said that procurement of 700,000 mechanical consumer water meters were needed costingaround Rs. 5.6 billion.