Karachi’s industrial sector consumed a record 6.08 billion units of electricity during FY26, the highest annual level ever recorded by K-Electric, as stronger economic activity boosted manufacturing demand.

The utility said industrial electricity consumption increased 20 percent year-on-year, rising from 5.04 billion units in FY25 to 6.08 billion units in FY26, surpassing the previous record of 5.84 billion units set in FY22.

According to K-Electric, the sharp increase was driven by Pakistan’s improving economic conditions, with the country’s economy expanding 3.7 percent during FY26. The government’s efforts to shift industries from captive power generation to the national grid also contributed to higher electricity demand.

K-Electric Chief Executive Officer Syed Muhammad Taha said the milestone reflects improving business confidence and the collective efforts of the federal government, the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and Karachi’s industrial sector to support investment and economic growth.

He added that Karachi remains the country’s industrial and commercial hub, noting that K-Electric has supplied uninterrupted electricity to industrial feeders since 2013 and remains committed to providing reliable and sustainable power.

The utility said industries with connected loads between 501 kW and 5,000 kW, including textile, steel and cement manufacturers, accounted for the largest share of electricity consumption during the fiscal year. June 2026 recorded the highest monthly industrial demand, followed by April 2026.

K-Electric also expanded its industrial customer base during the year by energizing 349 new industrial connections and approving load enhancements for 273 existing customers, adding a combined 168 MW of demand to its network.

The company noted that industrial consumers continue to maintain among the highest bill recovery rates, enabling them to remain exempt from load shedding.