ISLAMABAD , June 13, 2023: With the increase in electricity consumption due to the arrival of summer season prolonged load shedding tenures spanning up to 8 hours per day are being observed in the country.
According to the National Power Control Centre, the prevailing electricity shortfall in the country is 6,348 megawatt, and a total of 20,552 megawatt is being produced.
According to officials, the demand for electricity in the country is 26,000 megawatt. 4,234 megawatt of electricity is being generated through hydropower sources, while 1,854 megawatt is being produced from government’s thermal power plants and 11,284 megawatt from private sector powerhouses.
According to the statistics, atomic power plants are generating 2,148 megawatt, while 1,048 megawatt of electricity is being produced from wind power plants.
Despite the technological advancement in the world and the increasing reliance on modern energy sources such as nuclear or geo-thermal energy, the country lags behind in extending power generation capacity from such technology.
In recent years, claims were being made that Pakistan has become able to produce surplus energy and can even export energy to neighbouring countries, but somehow the public faces the menace of load-shedding in every summer season.
Reportedly the claims of surplus energy were based on the energy production by private sector or the Independent Power Producer (IPP’s). However the previous government’s claims and investigation discouraged the sector a lot and the situation is being exacerbated by the lack of foreign exchange to pay the companies as IPP’s suffered through prolonged payment delays which prompted a lot of companies to exit the sector.
According to various expert reports, even if Pakistan start generating the electricity according to the needs, the obsolete transmission lines would not be able to bear the burden and the crisis will go unresolved. It would be worth-while to mention that the electricity crisis substantially hinders the GDP growth.
However, the incumbent government has approved a policy to shut down markets at 8pm in order to conserve energy in wake of the increasing shortfall.