ISLAMABAD:
The Energy Division said on Tuesday that due to increased demand for electricity during peak hours, electricity will be suspended for approximately 2.25 hours daily between 5 pm and 1 am across the country as part of its “peak hour relief strategy.”
“The goal of this load management is to reduce the use of expensive fuels and prevent an increase in electricity prices,” the Energy Division spokesperson said in a statement. “This measure can avoid an increase of about Rs 3 per unit,” he added.
The statement further said that distribution companies had been instructed to share power outage schedules with consumers at all levels to ensure awareness of the shutdown times.
“Unscheduled power outages will not be allowed. In case of local faults, the concerned offices will inform the consumers accordingly,” he added.
The spokesperson further said that electricity consumers received relief worth Rs 46 billion between July and February under the government’s “maximum relief strategy”, while electricity prices were reduced by 71 paisa per unit despite rising fuel costs. “This success is the result of reforms, relief packages, strict implementation of the merit order and effective planning,” he added.
He further said that the use of low-cost energy sources and better utilization of generating capacity helped control prices, while improvements in administrative and transmission systems reduced losses. “Despite difficult global conditions, electricity generation in the country remains stable,” he said, adding that the system is still capable of meeting demand.
According to the spokesperson, 80 MMCFD of local gas has been supplied to power plants, which has helped avoid tariff increases. “This has prevented an increase of 80 paisa per unit and additional cargo management,” he said. He warned that despite the reduction in furnace oil usage, there could still be an increase of around Rs 1.5 per unit.
The news comes after Qatar declared force majeure on gas supplies due to damage to its facilities amid ongoing regional tensions involving Iran and Israel, leading to disruptions in liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports. Qatar is Pakistan’s largest LNG supplier under two long-term contracts covering up to 1 billion cubic feet per day (mmcfd).
The spokesperson said the situation is being closely monitored under the supervision of the prime minister and that the government is ensuring that the public is not unduly burdened despite global challenges. He added that the coordinated closure of commercial markets during peak hours could further reduce demand and help stabilize prices.
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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on April 10 announced a reduction of Rs 135 per liter in high-speed diesel prices and Rs 12 per liter in petrol. The Finance Ministry said the new rates are Rs 385.54 for diesel and Rs 366.58 for petrol.
The announcement comes after recent volatility in fuel prices, with previous increases linked to rising global oil rates amid tensions in the Middle East. Earlier, the government had increased prices up to Rs 185 per liter before partially reversing the increase through adjustments in petroleum tax and subsidies.
On April 6, the federal government, in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, decided that markets and shopping malls in the country, except those in Sindh, would close at 8 pm as part of energy conservation measures.
The Sindh government announced on April 10 that all shops, markets and malls in Karachi and other divisional headquarters across the province will close at 9:00 pm throughout the week, including Saturdays and Sundays, as part of austerity measures aligned with the federal government’s directive.
