The National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) has enhanced the power transmission infrastructure in Punjab by installing a 250 MVA autotransformer at the 500 kV Sheikhupura Grid Station. This new transformer, the fourth of its kind at the station, was activated to replace a 160 MVA unit and increase the station's load-bearing capacity.

NTDC, incorporated in 1998, took over Pakistan's high-voltage transmission network from the Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) and currently operates 14 grid stations at 500 kV and 38 at 220 kV. NTDC manages an extensive network of high-capacity transmission lines, including 5,110 km of 500 kV and 9,686 km of 220 kV lines across Pakistan, aiming to improve grid stability and minimize transmission losses.

The Sheikhupura upgrade is part of the World Bank-funded National Transmission Modernization Project (NTMP-1). Under the supervision of NTDC's Project Delivery (North) Lahore team, the project was completed ahead of schedule, limiting downtime for customers. NTDC's leadership, including Deputy Managing Director (P&E), Engr. Qaiser Khan, and Deputy Managing Director (AD&M), Engr. Rasheed A. Bhutto, praised the efficient execution of this initiative, which will help stabilize electricity for consumers served by the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO).

NTDC holds a 30-year exclusive license from Pakistan's National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), granted in 2002, authorizing it as the sole operator of the country's transmission grid. This latest enhancement is expected to bolster power reliability for residential, commercial, and industrial users in Punjab, Pakistan's most populous region, which will particularly benefit from a more resilient and capable grid.