Load-shedding amid power surplus

Business Recorder reported acute load-shedding across Punjab, particularly in Lahore and nearby areas, during late-night and early-morning hours. Residents face outages of two to four hours between 9pm and 4am, while supply runs without interruption for the rest of the day. The editorial asks why the cuts continue despite a national power surplus and why they fall at the most inconvenient times.

According to the editorial, the problem traces back to a policy focus on generation over transmission and distribution upgrades. Surplus capacity sits mainly in the south, yet northern demand relies on imported LNG that is scarce at affordable rates. With hydel output reduced by curtailed water flows during heavy rain and humid weather lifting demand, authorities are cutting night-time consumption to balance supply.

Power costs are also climbing, as CPPA-G seeks an FCA of Rs2.52 per unit for July, the sharpest rise in recent months, while furnace oil plants run near full capacity. The adjustment could stay elevated in August. The editorial argues that drawing private capital into transmission and distribution, and pursuing distribution company privatisation seriously, are central to a lasting fix.