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April 17, 2026
Govt Announces More than 2 Hours of Daily Loadshedding amid Fuel ConstraintsIslamabad: Amid fuel constraints, the government on Tuesday formally announced more than two hours of daily loadshedding “during peak hours” to prevent a sharp increase in electricity tariffs.
However, K-Electric and Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) are excluded from the loadshedding plan, the Power Division said.
“The government has decided to suspend the electricity supply for about 2.25 hours daily between 5:00pm and 1:00am,” the Power Division said in a statement.
“This step is aimed at reducing the use of costly fuels and preventing a sharp rise in tariffs,” it added.
This stems from the suspension of liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports following the force majeure declared by Qatar due to attacks on its gas field amid the US-Israel war on Iran. Qatar is the main LNG supplier to Pakistan under two long-term contracts envisaging up to 1,000 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd).
The Power Division said it was capable of meeting full demand but this had negative consequences.
“The main challenge at present is during peak hours from 5:00pm to 1:00am. During this time, demand increases significantly, mainly due to reduced hydel generation. Relying on expensive fuels to meet this demand could lead to a substantial increase in electricity prices,” it said.
The Power Division said that its consistent efforts had led to a reduction in electricity prices for consumers across the country. From July to February, the average tariff decreased by 71 paisa per unit despite rising fuel costs. This resulted in a total relief of Rs46 billion, it said.
It said that the reduction was achieved through structural reforms, targeted relief measures, improved planning and more efficient system operations. Priority was given to low-cost generation sources, while better use of generation capacity and improvements in transmission and administration helped reduce losses.
It added that these combined efforts had improved overall system performance and provided sustainable relief to consumers. - Dawn
Courtesy Dawn
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