NTDC teams off to China to study anti-smog strategy

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister of Power Division Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari approved the dispatch of a team of National Transmission & Despatch Company (NTDC) experts to China to devise a strategy to tackle the increasing smog in the country.



The team is to study the Beijing model of electricity being developed for smog control, and to further formulate and implement a strategy for Pakistan as well.

The directions were passed in a special meeting on Tuesday chaired by Leghari to assess the situation arising due to power outages caused by the new weather conditions in some parts of the country.

Officials from Distribution companies (DISCOs), NTDC, Power Generation Companies (GNECOs), National Power Construction Company (NPCC) and Power Division attended the meeting.

The federal minister directed that immediate measures such as the installation of anti-smog and anti-fog disc be taken seriously. The situation is currently at critical points, and priority is to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the consumers.

Leghari also directed all CEOs of the DISCOS and NTDC to work together to formulate a technically sound solution for the problem. He directed the planning and proposals to be finalised within a month’s time.

The federal minister appreciated the efforts of ground teams which are working in extreme weather and fighting impacts of toxic gases deposits at the high transmission and distribution lines.

He also appreciated the efforts to control the cascading effects of the fluctuating electricity which could have resulted in system breakdown and blackouts as experienced previously.

The minister was informed that areas in MEPCO, LESCO and HESCO region are being faced with smog for the first time.