Electricity loadshedding ends after arrival of LNG supply in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD – Federal Minister for Power Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari has announced that electricity load management has ended across Pakistan following the arrival of liquefied natural gas (LNG), while warning that continued reliance on expensive fuels could increase costs for consumers. Speaking at a press briefing, the minister said the latest LNG cargo has enabled authorities to normalise electricity supply. He expressed confidence that, unless any unexpected technical faults arise in the transmission system, consumers are unlikely to face further power outages or loadshedding. The minister referred to the LNG vessel Seapeak Magellan, which docked at the terminal operated by Pakistan GasPort Consortium Limited and began supplying re-gasified LNG to the national grid. Carrying approximately 140,000 cubic metres of LNG, the cargo was arranged by TotalEnergies. Officials said efforts are underway to arrange another shipment expected between May 10 and 12. Leghari noted that the government had to import costly LNG after gas supplies from Qatar were disrupted due to regional tensions. He said the recent spell of load-shedding over the past 13 to 14 days was a temporary issue caused by gas shortages, adding that timely measures helped restore balance in the system. Highlighting improvements, the minister said hydropower generation has increased to around 6,000 megawatts from nearly 1,000 megawatts, contributing to stabilising electricity supply. He added that water releases from dams are managed according to provincial requirements and decisions of relevant authorities. The minister said power plants operating on furnace oil and other fuels were also used to bridge the supply gap. However, he cautioned that eliminating load-shedding entirely through diesel or furnace oil-based generation would significantly raise electricity costs. Leghari emphasised that the government is making efforts to protect consumers from higher tariffs. He also clarified that the country’s to