Indigenous energy sources overtake thermal power

Citing relevant figures, it highlights a gradual shift toward cleaner, indigenous energy sources as the government pursued policies to improve energy security, affordability, and sustainability while reducing dependence on imported fuels. Total installed electricity generation capacity increased to 49,651 megawatts (MW), up from 45,782MW a year earlier. Hydel, renewable and nuclear sources collectively accounted for 50.8 per cent of installed capacity, surpassing thermal power, whose share declined to 49.2pc from 56.7pc a year ago. During July-March, Pakistan generated 92,835 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity, with hydel, nuclear and renewable sources contributing 53.1pc of total generation, underscoring continuing drift towards cleaner energy. Electricity consumption rose by 3.8pc to 83,143GWh during the period under review. Households remained the largest consumers, accounting for 47.5pc of total power usage, while industrial demand strengthened, with its share rising to 31.5pc. In contrast, electricity consumption in the agriculture sector fell sharply by 42.3pc, a decline the survey attributed to the growing adoption of solar-powered alternatives and changing irrigation practices. The Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB) continued to attract investment in the sector, facilitating the development of more than 102 independent power producers (IPPs) with a combined capacity exceeding 25,800MW. These projects have brought over $35 billion in foreign investment into the country. Among the notable developments d