Pakistan plans to obtain 60% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. To manage this growth, G-PST is working with Pakistan’s system operator, National Power Construction Corporation (NPCC), to prioritize updates to its control center to ready it for operation of a high–renewable–energy grid.
Activities and Impacts
Control center modernization: Developing a comprehensive roadmap for the control center of the future, tailored to the system requirements and characteristics of the Pakistani power system, is crucial for the country to reach its goal of sourcing 60% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. G-PST and NPCC are working together on a roadmap that will integrate advanced technologies and strategies to optimize the management of renewable energy resources, ensuring their efficient and reliable incorporation into the grid. This framework will outline the strategic direction and technological advancements necessary to modernize Pakistan’s power grid.
Operations and planning gaps assessment: Pakistan’s NPCC is in the process of a transition from a vertically integrated utility to an independent power system operator with support from G-PST and USAID. Providing NPCC staff with access to objective, credible resources as this restructuring of its business functions and operations is implemented will result in significant positive impacts. With these resources, staff will gain deeper knowledge of the planning and operations process, which will enhance their abilities to manage and optimize the power system effectively. The solutions that G-PST supports will help Pakistan’s power system become more resilient and capable of accommodating fluctuations in energy supply, supporting Pakistan’s transition to renewable sources.
Another activity involves operating reserves, for which G-PST and USAID developed a tool to help NPCC calculate the reserves necessary to manage load variability and the uncertainty of variable renewable energy. This tool helps NPCC determine the required system reserves, thereby avoiding load curtailment and events in the system.