Power loadshedding to continue on high-loss feeders, says Leghari

Federal Minister for Energy (Power Division) Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari on Thursday said that loadshedding would continue on high-loss feeders.

Addressing a press conference, Leghari sitting alongside Ali Pervaiz Malik, State Minister for Finance and Revenue, shared that the electricity demand across Pakistan, as per a report dated May 29, 2024, stood at 25,820MW while 21,588MW of electricity was generated and fed to the system.

The minister said that 4,232MW of electricity was not provided to the system, leading to loadsheddding.

The federal minister said loadshedding categorically occurred on loss-bearing feeders i.e. Category 3-8 feeders.

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“We didn’t provide electricity to these feeders, because this will add to losses in the power sector, which cannot be borne by the country’s economy,” he said.

“The economic loadshedding would continue because we cannot afford to increase our circular debt further,” he said.

The minister said until the distribution companies change their course and control their losses with the assistance of provincial governments, “loadshedding will continue on these high-loss feeders”.

“Areas where electricity theft is rampant need to be penalized,” he said.

The federal minister admitted that loadshedding was witnessed on Category-1,2 feeders, where losses are lower than 20%, owing to technical faults.

“We have directed the CEOs of distribution companies to improve their service quality and end power outages on no-loss feeders,” he said.

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