ISLAMABAD:
The Electricity Division said on Tuesday that due to increased demand for electricity during peak hours, electricity would be suspended for about 2.25 hours per day between 5 p.m. and 1 a.m. across the country as part of its “peak relief strategy”.
“The aim of this load management is to reduce the use of expensive fuels and to avoid rising electricity prices,” the spokesperson for the Power division said in a statement. “This step can prevent an increase of around Rs3 per unit,” he added.
The statement further said that distribution companies have been directed to share line outage schedules with consumers at all levels to ensure awareness of outage timings.
“No unforeseen outages will be allowed. In case of local outages, the concerned offices will inform consumers accordingly,” it added.
The spokesperson further said that power consumers were provided assistance worth Rs 46 billion between July and February under the government’s ‘Peak Relief Strategy’, while power prices were reduced by 71 paisa per unit despite rising fuel costs. “This success is the result of reforms, relief plans, strict application of the order of merit and effective planning,” he added.
He added that the use of low-cost energy sources and better utilization of production capacity helped control prices, while improvements in transportation and administrative systems reduced losses. “Despite challenging global conditions, power 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 was supplied to power plants, helping to avoid tariff increases. “This avoided an increase of 80 paisa per unit and additional management of charges,” he said. He warned that despite the reduction in fuel oil consumption, an increase of around Rs 1.5 per unit could still occur.
The news comes after Qatar declared force majeure on its 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 main LNG supplier under two long-term contracts covering up to 1,000 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd).
The spokesperson said the situation was being closely monitored under the supervision of the Prime Minister and the government was ensuring that the public did not face undue burden 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 the prices of high-speed diesel and Rs 12 per liter of petrol. The Finance Ministry said the new rates stand at Rs385.54 for diesel and Rs366.58 for petrol.
The announcement comes after recent volatility in fuel prices, with previous increases linked to rising global oil prices amid tensions in the Middle East. The government had previously increased prices by up to Rs 185 per liter before partially reversing the hike through adjustments to the oil tax and subsidies.
On April 6, the federal government, in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, had decided that markets and malls in the country, except those in Sindh, would close at 8 p.m. as part of energy-saving measures.
The Sindh government announced on April 10 that all shops, markets and shopping malls in Karachi and other divisional capitals of the province would close at 9 p.m. throughout the week, including Saturdays and Sundays, as part of austerity measures aligned with the federal government’s directive.
