Move branded as ‘peak relief strategy’: Govt rolls out scheduled power outages

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has rolled out scheduled power outages of up to 2. 25 hours during peak evening hours (5: 00 pm to 1: 00 am), branding the move as a ‘Peak Relief Strategy’ to manage rising electricity demand while containing generation costs. The Power Division said the decision has been taken in response to mounting pressure on the national grid during evening hours, primarily due to a seasonal decline in hydropower generation. Officials cautioned that meeting peak demand through expensive fuel-based generation would trigger a sharp increase in electricity tariffs. READ MORE: Govt starts power loadshedding to manage shortfall To mitigate this risk, authorities have opted for controlled and time-bound outages to limit reliance on costly fuels, including furnace oil. “The aim is to prevent a significant spike in electricity prices, ” a Power Division spokesperson said, describing the initiative as part of a broader cost-management strategy rather than conventional load shedding. The government maintains that despite global fuel price volatility, the average electricity tariff has declined by 71 paisa per unit from July to February, providing cumulative relief of Rs 46 billion to consumers. This reduction has been attributed to structural reforms, strict adherence to the merit order, improved planning, and enhanced operational efficiency across the power sector. While officials insist that overall generation capacity remains sufficient, they acknowledge that economically managing peak demand continues to pose a challenge. The situation is being closely overseen at the highest level, with the Prime Minister directing authorities to keep tariff increases in check, even if limited use of expensive fuels becomes unavoidable. As part of efforts to cushion the impact, around 80 MMCFD of local gas has been allocated to power plants, helping avert an estimated increase of 80 paisa per unit and reducing the need for further load management. Officials estimate that the scheduled outages will help prevent an increase of approximately Rs 3 per unit in electricity tariffs. However, a partial rise of about Rs 1. 5 per unit may still occur. Without these interventions, tariffs could have surged by Rs 5 to Rs 6 per unit, they added. Distribution companies (DISCOs) have been directed to share feeder-wise outage schedules to ensure transparency and minimize inconvenience to consumers. Authorities have also instructed that no outages should take place outside the announced schedule, except in cases of technical faults, which must be promptly communicated. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

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