Federal Minister for Energy Awais Leghari has announced plans to significantly reduce electricity costs, saying future tariffs could become low enough for people to store electricity in batteries during the day and use it at night.

Addressing a power conference through a video message at a private university in Lahore, the minister emphasized that comprehensive reforms in the energy sector are underway to stabilize the system and reduce financial pressure on consumers.

Leghari said the government is moving away from reliance on Independent Power Producers (IPPs), claiming the existing model has effectively been phased out. He added that proposed projects aimed at adding nearly 10,000 megawatts through new IPP agreements have been halted as part of the reform strategy.

He noted that authorities are encouraging private companies to introduce smart metering systems, which would help improve billing transparency and reduce losses. The minister also stressed that faulty electricity meters will no longer remain operational for extended periods to prevent excessive or inaccurate billing.

According to the minister, electricity pricing structures will vary across sectors, with industries and the agriculture sector expected to receive cheaper daytime electricity, potentially reduced by around 6 to 7 rupees per unit for certain consumer categories.

Leghari further stated that cost savings have already been achieved in the procurement of electricity meters and revealed that power distribution companies are expected to move toward privatization within the next one to two years as reforms continue.