ISLAMABAD - In a bid to privatise energy sector, National Power Electric Regulatory Authority on Tuesday granted Special Purpose Transmission Licence for constructing and owning transmission facilities to Fatima Transmission Company Limited (FTCL).
Under the granted licence, FTCL would set up a 37 km long transmission line for evacuating 120MW electricity from generation facilities to supply to a number of Bulk Power Consumers.
Nepra's claims that the decision was in line with the approval of federal government in 1992, aimed to bring efficiency and competition in the sector through unbundling of public sector entities.
Nepra officials say the decision was made after realising the limitations of public sector.
Although public sector is mainly responsible for developing Extra High Voltage (EHV) (66000 volts and above) transmission facilities, however it is noted that it could not upgrade and develop its system according to the required reliability levels leading to severe bottlenecks and congestions in the transmission system, said Nepra spokesperson Syeda Ayesha Tassaduq.
She said that in coming years when power plants would start generating power, the country need a strong transmission system to transmit a large number of quantum of power.
Fatima Energy is a part of Fatima group owned by business tycoon Arif Habib.
According to officials the transmission line would transmit generated electricity to its sister organisations.