Overview
- The World Bank Board approved the $375.9 million Grid Stability Enhancement Project on Friday as the first phase of a 10‑year BEST‑PAK programme to modernise Pakistan’s transmission network.
- Planned purchases include Static Synchronous Compensators (STATCOMs) for three 500 kV substations and fixed reactors and capacitor banks for 26 substations to stabilize voltage and reduce outages.
- The upgrades are expected to enable about 640 MW of currently curtailed wind generation and accommodate roughly 491 MW of planned private renewables, supporting Pakistan’s 60% renewables goal for 2030.
- All new installations must meet climate‑resilient standards—elevated platforms and equipment rated to operate up to 55°C—to withstand floods and extreme heat and keep the grid running during shocks.
- The financing is tied to transmission‑sector reforms that aim to restructure the National Transmission & Dispatch Company into specialised successor entities to improve governance and attract private capital, with procurement and implementation planning set to follow.