Pakistan’s Power Division issued an emergency apology to electricity consumers on Wednesday as a sharp decline in hydropower generation forced the government to implement unannounced load management across the country.
Official data reveals that hydropower production plummeted by approximately 1,991 megawatts during peak nighttime hours, creating a substantial supply-demand gap. This sudden shortfall has pushed the national power deficit to roughly 4,500 megawatts during peak periods, leaving many urban and rural areas in the dark despite previous government assurances of a stable supply.
The crisis is primarily attributed to reduced water releases from the country’s major reservoirs. According to the Power Division, the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) is currently releasing water based on provincial demand, which remains lower than last year due to recent rainfall and the ongoing crop harvesting season.
This decreased water flow has directly impacted the turbines’ ability to generate base-load electricity, forcing the national grid to rely on more expensive thermal alternatives or implement “Peak Relief Strategy” outages to prevent a total system collapse.
A spokesperson for the Power Division has urged the public to adopt immediate energy-saving measures, particularly between 5:00 PM and 1:00 AM, to help stabilize the grid. While the government maintains that there is no capacity shortfall in terms of installed machinery, the high cost of furnace oil and limited availability of RLNG have made it difficult to bridge the 2,000–2,500 MW gap without raising tariffs.
Officials expressed hope that the situation would improve in the coming days as water releases are expected to increase, potentially restoring hydropower to normal levels and providing much-needed relief to a frustrated public.