Pakistan continued to face electricity shortages during peak hours as lower water demand from provinces kept hydropower generation well below installed capacity, according to the Power Division.
In a statement, the division said hydropower generation reached 4,950 megawatts during peak hours last night, far below the country’s total installed hydel capacity of 11,500 megawatts. A spokesperson said output remained around 6,000 megawatts below capacity because of reduced water releases.
Authorities said improved grid stability allowed the transmission of 400 megawatts from the southern parts of the country to central areas, helping ease pressure on the system.
Power distribution companies carried out load management of up to two to two-and-a-half hours during peak demand as electricity consumption increased, the statement said.
The Power Division said economic load management on high-loss feeders would continue in line with policy, adding that it was separate from peak-time load management.
It also said better availability of liquefied natural gas could help eliminate peak-time load management. At present, around 5,500 megawatts of generation capacity remains idle because of LNG shortages.
The division urged consumers to conserve electricity during nighttime hours, saying rising demand, global energy pressures and lower water demand were continuing to widen supply gaps.
