By Ayesha Saba ISLAMABAD, March 24 (INP-WealthPK): The National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) has completed and commissioned the 220/132KV Grid Station Jhimpir-II at Nooriabad, Hyderabad in Sindh province. The project will connect wind power units in the Jhimpir wind cluster to the national grid. The wind project is located in Jhimpir, in the Gharo-Keti Bandar wind corridor in Sindh, which is a high-quality wind resource capable of generating over 50,000MW of clean and affordable electricity. The Jhimpir wind corridor coupled with solar power can be further developed into a resource of national importance, able to reduce the country’s reliance on expensive imported fuels and provide the people of Pakistan with clean and cheap electricity. Managing Director of NTDC Engr Manzoor Ahmad said this wind farm will generate reliable, clean energy at lower prices and help reduce pressure on the country’s power grid while mitigating climate change. “The NTDC is completing its ongoing projects on a war footing to boost its transmission system. The 220/132KV Grid Station Jhimpir-II has been completed at a cost of Rs10.753 billion and allied transmission lines will evacuate clean renewable energy from 10 upcoming and future wind power plants located at the Jhimpir wind corridor,” he told WealthPK. These projects include Din Energy, Gul Ahmed Electric, Metro Wind Power, NASDA Green Energy, Liberty Wind Power-I, Liberty Wind Power-II, ACT-2 Wind, Indus Wind Energy, Lakeside Energy and Artistic Wind Power. Pakistan has increased its power generation and the challenge now is to reduce the costs. Renewable energy is 40 to 50 percent cheaper than thermal energy. Manzoor stated that three transformers of 250 MVA each had been erected at the grid station, which would be capable of transmitting extra electricity in the future. “It will improve the reliability of the NTDC transmission network and enhance the voltage profile of Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) network,” he added. Pakistan intends to increase renewable energy's contribution from 4% currently to 30% by 2030. Due to the intermittent nature of solar and wind energy output, an increasing percentage of renewables necessitates improving grid observability, real-time monitoring, remote control, and optimisation. The NTDC is Pakistan's largest transmission company and the backbone of the country's national power system. It operates and maintains 16 500KV and 45 220KV grid stations, 7,470km of 500KV transmission line, and 11,281km of 220KV transmission line in Pakistan. The upcoming projects and visionary policies of the Pakistan government are expected to drive Pakistan towards the role of a global leader in wind energy. The NTDC has prepared Indicative Generation Capacity Expansion Plan (IGCEP) 2021-30 covering 0-10 years’ timeframe i.e., from 2021 to 2030 encapsulating power generation additions required to meet the future energy and power demand of the NTDC system.