Asif Done
Despite the high temperature, Pakistan is experiencing prolonged power outages nationwide as load shedding continues with a shortfall of 6,419 megawatts.
According to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter, the country’s demand for electricity has soared past 25,500 MW, while production hovers around 19,081 MW. This gap needs to be filled, despite hydroelectricity stations contributing some 6,095 MW, which, though better than nothing, still falls far short of meeting this surging consumption rate.
Public sector thermal power plants generate only 657MW, whereas IPPs inject more substantial amounts into the system. Such as 7,565MW from gas-fired plants and another 1,206MW through wind turbines. Solar contributes an additional 198MW, followed by bagasse (sugarcane waste) at 141MW. At the same time, nuclear reactors provide most of it, with their combined output at over three thousand two hundred twenty-two Megawatts. This means they produce enough energy, equivalent to nearly half a million of the average American household’s annual consumption.
Conversely, load-shedding varies between four and twelve hours, depending on the region. High transmission line losses bore the brunt of these blackouts, lasting up to fourteen hours daily. Thus, people endure half a day without light, forcing them to live in darkness during nighttime. This disrupts regular life routines and thus affects economic activities. This leads to further frustration among the general public, who are already fed up for other reasons.
LESCO (Lahore Electric Supply Company)
However, things are equally worse here in Lahore, where various localities face frequent breakdowns mainly caused. Besides other technical faults, transformer failures resulted in more extended periods without electricity. Sometimes running up to several days continuously, making it appear like there’s no end to this misery any time soon. Staff members are working overtime trying to restore service, especially during June, the hottest month of the year. Thus, they are even angrier over what they see as management’s neglect of their welfare concerns while trying.
According to sources, dozens of transformers burn daily due to extreme heat. When power fails, it takes about 8-10 hours before electricity is restored, leaving residents without power for many hours. This disrupts their daily activities and affects businesses that rely heavily on continuous supply. This leads to further frustration among the general public, who are already fed up due to other reasons.
In such scorching weather, LESCO’s demand has crossed 3,500MW, but NPCC (National Power Control Center) can provide only around 3,400 MW, creating an additional shortage of 100MW, which puts more strain on already stretched infrastructure. Hot weather requires more power, and rising temperatures make it impossible for anyone to manage the situation anymore.
There is mounting pressure from the public and political circles, demanding immediate solutions from government and power authorities. However, until now, no one has taken concrete steps to address these challenges sustainably, recognizing that short-term fixes will not suffice here. This necessitates a comprehensive strategy capable of delivering a stable electricity supply across all parts of the country around the year. Irrespective of whether it rains or shines throughout twelve months annually.
