- Unannounced power outages continue across Pakistan.
- LNG cargoes ready to be dispatched from Qatar: minister.
- Parts of Karachi face electricity cuts exceeding 10 hours.
Federal Minister for Energy Awais Leghari has said that distribution companies were carrying out less than two hours of loadshedding daily, adding that power cuts will end once gas supply improves.
Speaking on Geo News’ programme “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath” on Friday, the minister said that as many as four liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes were ready to be dispatched from Qatar.
Leghari said that the ministry has asked the petroleum ministry to have the cargoes dispatched immediately, adding that they will reach Pakistan within five days.
The minister asserted that “loadshedding will end forever” across the country once gas is provided to power plants.
Meanwhile, prolonged unannounced electricity outages continue across several parts of Pakistan, with Karachi among the worst affected as some areas report cuts exceeding ten hours.
Residents in Garden, Lyari, North Karachi, New Karachi, Malir, Korangi and Orangi Town reported extended outages, with even exempt localities facing intermittent supply disruptions.
Similarly, Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) recorded a demand of 2,800 megawatts against 2,700 megawatts supplied, leaving a shortfall of 100 megawatts.
Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported a 600-megawatt gap between demand and supply.
On Friday, a spokesperson for the Power Division said that power shortages eased from six hours of daily outages to less than three hours, after water releases from dams nearly quadrupled and pushed hydropower output to its highest in days.
Hydropower generation rose to 4,100 megawatts late on April 16, from 1,800 megawatts before the dam releases. The higher output also eased grid constraints and allowed an additional 400 megawatts to be transmitted from the country’s south, the spokesperson added.
The electricity shortfalls were mainly due to a 48% annual decline in hydropower output as provinces had not been asking for water releases from dams due to heavy rains reducing the need for irrigation, Leghari told Reuters in an interview on April 16.
Hydropower generation will likely remain high in the coming days as the monsoon crop season gets underway, unless more rains reduce the need for irrigation.
— With additional input from Reuters
