The country faces a worsening electricity crisis, with the overall power shortfall reaching 6,500 megawatts (MW). This leads to prolonged load shedding across multiple regions and growing public frustration.
According to sources, total electricity demand has surged to around 22,000MW, while generation remains limited to 15,400MW. The energy mix includes 1,500MW from hydropower, 9,250MW from thermal sources, 1,200MW from wind, 2,850MW from nuclear, 400MW from solar, and 200MW from bagasse.
The widening gap between supply and demand has resulted in 8 to 16 hours of load shedding in various parts of the country. In the Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) region, unannounced load shedding continued throughout the night. Sources said generation from gas-based power plants declined due to fuel shortages, contributing to reduced output. Lesco reportedly faced a 1,000MW shortfall, with nighttime demand reaching 2,900MW. Urban areas experienced frequent hourly outages, while rural areas saw outages exceeding eight hours. Complaints of low voltage have also increased.