Islamabad: Pakistan is facing a worsening energy crisis as escalating tensions in the Middle East disrupt fuel supplies, significantly impacting the country’s power generation capacity.
According to sources, nearly 4,000 megawatts of electricity generation has been suspended due to an acute gas shortage. Power plants operating on imported gas have also gone offline, further straining the national grid.
In addition, electricity generation from furnace oil-based plants has been halted due to high operational costs, limiting alternative generation options. The combined impact has led to a substantial shortfall in electricity supply across the country.
As a result, load shedding hours have increased nationwide. Urban areas are experiencing up to 8 hours of power outages daily, while rural regions are facing 10 to 12 hours of load shedding. In areas with high electricity theft, outages have surged to as much as 14 to 16 hours.
Sources within the Power Division revealed that distribution companies are currently receiving nearly half of their allocated electricity supply. The situation is expected to persist until imported gas supplies are restored and generation capacity stabilizes.
The ongoing crisis highlights Pakistan’s vulnerability to external supply shocks and underscores the urgent need for sustainable and diversified energy solutions.
