Daily Times

Enabling Pakistan to import additional 100mw electricity from Iran and feed its Mekran region region, including Gwadar port.

According to the officials of National Transmission and Despatch Company Limited (NTDC), the company has been able to complete 30Km line on Pakistan’s side in record time of four months and has activated the line as well.

Pakistan and Iran had inked an agreement in June 2022 immediately after the PDM government took over for the import of 100MW electricity from Tehran. The infrastructure for the supply of electricity on the Iranian side had already been completed. However, it was missing on the Pakistani side, which has now been completed and power should start flowing, solving supply problem in the coastal areas of Baluchistan, which need around 150MW.

Completed at a cost of 10 million Euro, the line should take care of electricity demand of Makran Division for the next 15 years. Pakistan had already been importing around 104mw from under an agreement signed in 2002. Initial imports were 34MW, which was increased to 73MW and finally it has been enhanced to more than 100MW. With inauguration of this today, total import from Iran would be around 204MW.

Iran is said to have agreed on providing additional 100MW electricity at a rate within the range of Cents 8.4 to 12.4 cents per unit in a recent meeting when Federal Minister for Power Khurram Dastgir Khan led a 3-member delegation to Tehran from 11-13 March 2023 to finalize tariff – removing the last hitch in supply of power from Iran.

Experts argue that the line will also help develop port, industry and a new commercial hub in the region.

Iran has also reportedly been seeking updates on an earlier understanding with Pakistan according to which it will supply 5,000MW of electricity to Pakistan.

Interestingly, an Iranian, Sunir, has helped build 30KM transmission line on Pakistani side as well.