Cheap at noon, dear at night

According to Business Recorder, Pakistan's power market is splitting into distinct price periods across the day. Between April and August 2026, the mean hourly marginal price came to Rs34.7 per kWh, which is over twice the Rs16.6 seen in the same months of 2025. In August, midday prices hovered near Rs7.6 per unit, while overnight hours averaged Rs49.1.

Compared with August 2025, when the midday low was near Rs7 and the gap between the cheapest and dearest hours was Rs14.3, the spread has widened to Rs44.4 in August 2026. The analysis says the pattern is consistent with more solar output by day, which can push prices lower, while costlier plants may cover evening and night demand once solar fades. It also stresses that hourly data alone cannot show which plants set prices or how much fuel costs, demand or dispatch drive the shift.

For industrial users, flexible loads shifted into late morning or early afternoon could benefit from far lower marginal prices, while continuous operations stay exposed to evening costs. The analysis sees room for battery storage economics, yet efficiency losses, degradation, capital costs, taxes and network charges will decide whether it pays. Time-of-use tariffs could also encourage shifting demand, and winter will show whether the August pattern persists.