ISLAMABAD: The Power Division Pakistan has announced daily load shedding of two hours and fifteen minutes during peak hours as part of its relief strategy.
According to the spokesperson, the load shedding will be implemented between 5pm and 1am to manage increased electricity demand and reduce reliance on expensive fuel sources. The move aims to prevent a significant rise in electricity tariffs.
The Power Division stated that despite rising fuel costs, electricity prices were reduced by 71 paisa per unit due to the efficient use of low-cost generation sources. It also highlighted that consumers were given relief worth Rs46 billion from July to February.
Officials said the country currently has sufficient power generation capacity, but the main challenge remains the surge in consumption during peak hours. Without timely measures, electricity prices could have increased by Rs5 to Rs6 per unit.
The government has also ensured the supply of 80 MMCFD of local gas to power plants on the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, helping contain potential price hikes.
Authorities clarified that the purpose of load management is to avoid a potential increase of around Rs3 per unit, although a rise of about Rs1.5 per unit may still be unavoidable due to limited use of furnace oil.
The Power Division has directed distribution companies to inform consumers in advance about outage timings and emphasized that efforts are underway at both federal and provincial levels to reduce electricity demand, including early closure of commercial markets.
Exemption for Karachi and HESCO
The spokesperson further clarified that consumers of K-Electric and Hyderabad Electric Supply Company will be exempt from additional peak-hour load shedding.
This exemption has been granted due to the availability of relatively cheaper power generation sources in southern regions, ensuring that consumers in these areas are not subjected to unnecessary outages.