Power minister says government is increasing local gas and RLNG supplies while avoiding costly spot-market purchases that could raise electricity tariffs
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari has assured consumers that the government is taking measures to reduce electricity load shedding while preventing a further increase in power costs.
Speaking to the media alongside Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik on Monday, Leghari said the government was working to address immediate power shortages while protecting consumers from a potential rise in electricity prices in the coming months.
The minister attributed the current constraints on gas and re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) supplies to regional and global energy challenges, including the ongoing US-Iran conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
He said disruptions in gas and RLNG supplies had affected power generation and made it difficult to fully meet electricity demand, particularly during night-time hours.
According to Leghari, gas-fired power plants generate around 5,000 megawatts (MW) and are crucial for meeting demand at night, when national electricity consumption rises to between 20,000MW and 25,000MW.
Government avoids expensive gas purchases
Leghari said the government could purchase expensive gas from the spot market to address the immediate shortfall, but doing so would eventually increase electricity costs for consumers.
He estimated that such a move could raise electricity prices by around Rs5 to Rs6 per unit in the following months.
“We are trying to save the public today from paying thousands of rupees more in their electricity bills in the next one or two months,” he said.
The government is instead seeking to increase the availability of local gas, arrange additional RLNG supplies and coordinate with relevant energy-sector institutions to improve power generation.
Leghari said the government was also utilising available diesel- and coal-fired power plants while maximising electricity generation from the northern region.
No government-imposed daytime cuts
The power minister clarified that there was currently no government-imposed reduction in electricity supply during daytime hours, saying no such reduction had been made over the previous week.
However, he acknowledged that a sharp increase in electricity demand at night, combined with reduced gas supplies, had resulted in temporary load management.
He said some areas experienced around three hours of load shedding during each of the previous three nights. The duration, however, had fallen to around one hour on the latest night as electricity demand declined.
Leghari expressed hope that demand would fall further in the coming week due to weather conditions and that additional gas supplies would also become available.
Power theft linked to load management
The minister said areas with adequate electricity supply, including Hyderabad and other regions, should not face unnecessary load shedding unless power theft was contributing to the problem.
He said areas affected by electricity theft were subject to load management according to prescribed schedules, while unnecessary load shedding was not being carried out in areas where theft was not an issue.
Leghari acknowledged the difficulties faced by consumers amid hot and humid weather and said the government understood their concerns.
He assured consumers that efforts were being made to resolve the gas supply issue as soon as possible and maximise the availability of domestic gas for power generation.
The minister also appreciated the Petroleum Ministry for diverting locally available gas towards the power sector during the RLNG supply constraints. He said the gas was being provided at reasonable rates to help limit the impact on electricity consumers.
Leghari said the government remained committed to improving electricity supplies while avoiding measures that could impose an additional financial burden on consumers in the near future.