5,000 MW power generation offline due to LNG shortage: Power Division

ISLAMABAD: The Power Division said on Tuesday that the country was unable to generate around 5,000 megawatts of electricity due to the unavailability of liquefied natural gas (LNG, highlighting ongoing challenges in meeting peak demand.

A spokesperson for the Power Division said that the shortfall was particularly evident during peak evening hours on April 27, when LNG-fired power plants could not operate at full capacity.

However, increased water releases from Tarbela Dam helped boost hydropower generation overnight, partially easing supply pressures. Hydropower output reached around 6,000 megawatts during peak hours, compared with the country’s total installed hydropower capacity of 11,500 megawatts, the spokesperson said.

Electricity generation also improved slightly due to gas supply to some power plants, while about 500 megawatts of electricity was transmitted from the southern region, helping stabilise the system.

The spokesperson said that distribution companies implemented load management of between one to two hours during peak times, the official said, adding that the increase in hydropower generation helped keep outages from exceeding two hours in most areas.

The spokesperson said that load management was being carried out under an “economic management policy” on high-loss feeders, stressing that this was separate from peak-hour load shedding.

“The unavailability of LNG has resulted in around 5,000 megawatts of generation remaining offline,” the spokesperson said, adding that improved LNG supply and higher water releases could eliminate the nighttime shortfall.

Pakistan has long struggled with energy supply constraints, particularly during peak summer months, when demand surges and fuel supply bottlenecks strain the power generation system.