ISLAMABAD: Power Minister Awais Leghari has said the government is working to introduce a virtual grid system that will allow electricity consumers to generate and store power.
Regulations for virtual grids are already under preparation and are expected to be finalised by the last quarter of the current fiscal year.
The government has also directed power distribution companies (Discos) to install battery storage systems on their grids as part of efforts to strengthen the power system and promote energy storage.
Leghari said a “battery revolution” was coming to Pakistan, with greater use of batteries expected across the power sector.
🔌 Key Power-Sector Developments
- Virtual grids: Regulations are being developed to enable consumers to generate and store electricity.
- Grid batteries: Discos have been directed to install battery storage.
- Load-shedding: Around 3,500 of 14,500 feeders are currently facing load-shedding due to theft and line losses, according to the minister.
- Transformer-level control: The government plans to shift load-shedding from entire feeders to individual transformers within a year.
- 190,000 transformers: An on-off control system is being introduced to reduce the need for feeder-wide shutdowns.
- Fuel costs: The minister said higher LNG costs were contributing to pressure on the power system.
- System upgrades: Significant investment will be required to modernise the power network, subject to NEPRA approval.
Leghari also said the government had not signed any new agreement with an IPP, rejecting reports to the contrary.
