Power Generation Up 6% in March on Hydel, Coal Surge; Costs Decline

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KARACHI: Pakistan’s total electricity generation rose 6% year-on-year (YoY) to 8,939 GWh in March 2026, compared to 8,409 GWh in the same month last year, reflecting improved demand and a shifting energy mix. On a month-on-month (MoM) basis, generation jumped 16% from 7,696 GWh in February, driven largely by seasonal factors and higher consumption. The increase was led by strong growth in hydropower and imported coal-based generation. Hydel output surged 62% YoY to 2,105 GWh, raising its share in the energy mix to 23.5% from 15.4% a year earlier. Imported…

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Governance Failures, Not Capacity Shortage, Driving Power Crisis: Gohar Ejaz

New-Project31

LAHORE: Former caretaker commerce minister Gohar Ejaz has attributed Pakistan’s ongoing power crisis to systemic governance and management failures, rather than a lack of installed generation capacity. In a statement shared on X, Ejaz noted that despite an installed capacity of 46,605 megawatts (MW), the country continues to experience widespread load shedding. Industrial consumers face outages of 2–4 hours, while domestic and commercial users endure up to 16 hours of electricity cuts in some areas. He highlighted a significant gap between capacity and actual supply. At a peak demand of…

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Ogra Disburses Rs38bn in PDC to OMCs to Support Fuel Price Stability

OGRA

ISLAMABAD: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) has disbursed approximately Rs38 billion in Price Differential Claims (PDC) to 34 Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), in line with the government’s strategy to maintain affordable fuel prices. The disbursement has been carried out under a revised mechanism approved by the federal government, designed to enhance transparency, efficiency, and timely settlement of claims. The framework ensures a structured verification process, enabling quicker release of legitimate dues while maintaining financial discipline across the petroleum supply chain. Ogra reaffirmed its commitment to supporting government efforts…

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Surge in Dam Releases Boosts Hydropower, Eases Load Shedding Pressure

Global-Hydropower

ISLAMABAD: A sharp increase in water releases from major reservoirs has significantly boosted hydropower generation, easing pressure on Pakistan’s electricity system and reducing load shedding hours across the country. According to the Power Division, water outflows surged to 30,000 cusecs overnight, compared to just 8,000 cusecs a day earlier. This substantial rise directly translated into higher electricity generation from hydel sources. Hydropower output jumped by 127%, increasing by 2,300 megawatts to reach 4,100 megawatts, up from 1,800 megawatts the previous day. The influx of low-cost electricity improved overall supply and…

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Power Tariff Likely to Increase by 26 Paisa Per Unit Under March Fuel Adjustment

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ISLAMABAD: Electricity consumers across the country may face a rise of 26 paisa per unit in power tariffs under the monthly fuel cost adjustment for March. The Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) has submitted a formal request to National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) seeking approval for the proposed increase. Nepra is scheduled to take up the petition for hearing on April 28. According to data submitted by CPPA, a total of 8.939 billion units of electricity were generated during March, of which 8.644 billion units were dispatched to distribution…

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