New winter gas load-shedding schedule announced for Punjab, KP

LAHORE/PESHAWAR: Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has released a revised gas load-shedding schedule for Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, outlining specific supply windows for domestic consumers during the peak winter months of December through February.

According to the notification, gas will now be supplied intermittently throughout the day in three designated time slots to ensure households can manage essential cooking needs.

Under the new plan, gas will be available from 5:30 AM to 8:30 AM to facilitate breakfast preparation, followed by another supply window from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM. The final slot, intended to accommodate dinner hours, will run from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM.

SNGPL officials say the new schedule is aimed at balancing sharply rising seasonal demand, noting that consumption typically surges several-fold across northern regions during winter. They clarified that industrial consumers will not face load-shedding, as the policy primarily targets domestic management of peak usage.

Despite public concerns, SNGPL maintains that the system currently has sufficient gas and that the issue is not one of shortage but of efficient distribution. The company has urged consumers to use gas responsibly and avoid unnecessary consumption, emphasizing that the high cost of gas makes conservation more important than ever.

The revised timetable is expected to impact millions of households as temperatures continue to drop, with authorities advising residents to plan daily routines around the scheduled supply windows.