ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's state-owned grid operator has directed independent power producers and other plant operators to restore remote telemetry units, gateways and associated communication links by specified deadlines as it pushes to achieve at least 95 percent SCADA data quality by Oct. 31, 2026.
In a letter addressed to Rihan Akhtar, chief executive officer of the Central Power Purchasing Agency-Guaranteed (CPPA-G), National Grid Company of Pakistan Limited Managing Director Altaf Hussain stressed the importance of restoring real-time data transmission from stations listed in an annexure to the letter. The communication calls for urgent action to ensure operational data is available to the system operator.
The letter cites the Grid Code 2023, particularly clauses OC 9.5.3.2 and OC 9.5.3.5, which require each user, at its own cost, to install and maintain the telemetry, networking and communication equipment needed for real-time data exchange with the system operator's SCADA system. The provisions also prohibit withholding such data.
Under the action plan, the affected plant operators and companies must restore the equipment by target dates specified in the annexure. They have also been directed to designate station-wise focal persons to coordinate with the Independent System and Market Operator (ISMO) and NGC's SCADA-III Project Management Unit.
The companies must further confirm successful restoration of real-time data transmission to ISMO, with a copy of the confirmation sent to the NGC managing director's office.
NGC said it is implementing an accelerated action plan to reach the 95 percent SCADA data quality target by Oct. 31, 2026. While telemetry restoration at NGC-owned stations is proceeding on schedule, the company said achieving the overall target also depends on timely restoration of the stations identified in the annexure.
The company's SCADA-III PMU and regional telecommunications teams will provide technical assistance and coordinate interfaces with the concerned plant operators to facilitate restoration.
The directive highlights the importance of reliable real-time data exchange between power plants and the system operator for secure, reliable and efficient operation of the national grid. SCADA systems enable monitoring and supervisory control of power-system equipment, while telemetry links transmit operational information from generating stations to the system operator.
Accurate and timely data is particularly important for monitoring the status of generating units and grid-connected facilities. Interruptions in telemetry or communication links can limit the system operator's visibility of plant operating conditions.
The letter places responsibility for installing and maintaining the required telemetry and communication equipment on the respective users, while NGC has committed to providing technical assistance and interface coordination through its designated teams.
The letter does not specify the names of all affected power plants in its main text, the number of stations requiring restoration or the extent of the shortfall in SCADA data quality. Those details are contained in the annexure, which was not available.
