Senate Panel Irked At Contract Criteria of $700 Million Dasu Transmission Line Project

A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Power was held at Parliament House on Friday with Senator Saifullah Abro in Chair.

The committee grilled officials of the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) for the contract of the 765 kV Dasu Transmission Line project funded by the World Bank (WB).

The committee was briefed about the construction and tendering process of the 765kV Dasu Hydro Power Station. NTDC ND apprised the committee that the Dasu Hydro Power Station is the first of its kind, which has a 765kV capacity and comprises two grid stations situated at Mansehra and Islamabad. The project is being funded by World Bank with an accumulative cost of around $700 million, he added.

While reviewing the tendering process, Senator Saifullah Abro inquired as to why five years of experience is required for hiring a consultant who had previously worked on 765kV projects in the region whereas 12 years’ experience in 380kV projects has been fixed for the hiring of a contractor.  He remarked that there was no rationale in fixing these qualifications and it clearly indicates the malafide intention on the part of NTDC.

Moreover, he said that a consultancy contract has been awarded to GOPA Intec, a German firm, which has no previous experience in 765kV transmission line projects in the region. NTDC failed to satisfy the queries of the committee. The committee directed the NTDC to provide concrete evidence against the raised allegations in the next committee meeting.

Senator Haji Hidayatullah Khan also raised the issue related to the replacement of a transformer in Peshawar. Khan said that if there was 100 percent recovery from Peshawar then the transformer must be replaced immediately. The committee directed A.S., Power Division to meet with the senator after the meeting and resolve the issue amicably.

The meeting was attended by Senator Fida Muhammad, Senator Saifullah Sarwar Khan Nyazee, Senator Sana Jamali, Senator Haji Hidayatullah Khan, Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi, Senator Prince Ahmed Umer Ahmedzai, Additional Secretary Power Division Arshad Majeed, MD NTDC, Engr. Dr. Rana Abdul Jabbar Khan.



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