Pakistan faces 5,000MW power scarcity as the electricity demand has surged to a staggering 25,500 megawatts against the total production of 20,200MW, according to National Power Control Centre (NPCC) information on Thursday.

his shortfall has led to an increase in load shedding, exacerbating the plight of both urban and rural areas. In rural regions, load shedding has extended to over eight hours, while urban areas face four to six hours of power outages. Moreover, maintenance-related load shedding further burdens urban residents with additional six-hour blackouts. Areas plagued by high losses and theft are experiencing load shedding of up to 12 to 16 hours.

The twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi are also experiencing four to six hours of load shedding in the name of maintenance. NPCC sources say that despite efforts to augment power generation, the energy deficit persists. Currently, 6,200MW of electricity are generated from hydropower sources, with 2,200MW from Tarbela Dam alone, they added. Additionally, Tarbela-4 is contributing 1,100MW of electricity, 1,200MW from Ghazi Barotha, and 950MW from Mangla Dam, the sources said, adding that 750MW are being generated from other small hydropower sources.

Moreover, government thermal power plants contribute 1,100MW, while independent power producers (IPPs) contribute 8,250MW. Nuclear power plants generate 3,540MW, with wind, solar, and biomass contributing 820, 203, and 145 megawatts, respectively.

The Power Division refuted claims of announced load shedding but acknowledged that areas with high losses or theft and low recovery rates were experiencing power outages.