Lahore is experiencing power outages lasting up to four hours during evening hours after technical problems at the Tarbela and Mangla hydropower systems reduced electricity generation.

The disruption has increased the power shortfall in Lahore and other parts of Punjab, as well as several regions across the country. Two generating units at Tarbela are reportedly out of operation.

LESCO Shortfall Reaches 800MW

Sources said the electricity shortfall in the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) network has reached 800 megawatts (MW), leading to extended evening load-shedding in the city.

Power generation at Tarbela Dam has reportedly fallen to 656 MW following the shutdown of the two units.

Incident at Tarbela Project

The disruption has been linked to an incident at the construction site of the Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project (T-5) on Monday.

During excavation work, a weak section of rock reportedly collapsed, allowing water to enter a tunnel and the powerhouse. The Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) said all workers were safely evacuated.

The project has faced earlier setbacks as well, including a cofferdam collapse that led to a major increase in its estimated cost.

Power Companies Asked to Announce Schedules

The Ministry of Energy’s Power Division has directed all electricity distribution companies to immediately publish their load-shedding schedules so consumers can plan around the outages.

However, LESCO and other distribution companies had not issued formal schedules at the time of reporting.

Authorities have also not announced when the affected Tarbela generating units are expected to resume operation.

The latest disruption comes weeks after Pakistan’s nationwide electricity shortfall crossed 4,000 MW, triggering longer power cuts in several areas.