Islamabad, April 15, 2026: The government on Wednesday apologised to electricity consumers for higher-than-promised load management caused by reduced water availability for hydropower generation.
In an official statement, the Power Division expressed regret over the inconvenience. “We apologise for the additional load management necessitated by reduced hydropower availability,” the statement said, while urging consumers to conserve electricity, particularly during nighttime hours, and adopt energy-saving practices.
The apology followed widespread complaints from various parts of the country regarding excessive loadshedding on Tuesday. Authorities had earlier promised to limit power outages to 2.25 hours per day in an effort to avoid an increase in electricity tariffs.
According to the Ministry of Energy (Power Division), a temporary surge in load management occurred due to a sharp decline in hydropower generation during peak hours overnight. This reduction strained the national grid and widened the demand-supply gap.
A spokesperson revealed that hydropower production dropped by 1,991 megawatts during the night, contributing to a total shortfall of approximately 4,500MW at peak demand. Overall electricity demand during peak hours was recorded at around 18,000MW.
The decline in generation was attributed to decreased water releases from the country’s dams. Water discharge to provinces is currently being managed by the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) based on demand, which remains considerably lower than last year. Reduced water requirements—owing to recent rainfall and the ongoing harvesting season—have resulted in lower outflows from reservoirs, consequently affecting hydropower production.
As a result, electricity distribution companies were compelled to implement slightly higher load management than previously scheduled. However, the Power Division clarified that outages were largely confined to nighttime hours, with no significant shortfall reported during the day.
Despite this assurance, several distribution companies announced extended power cuts. Notably, the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) officially notified consumers of up to three hours of loadshedding in the morning.
Officials expressed optimism that the situation would improve in the coming days as water releases from dams are expected to increase, thereby boosting hydropower generation. Improved availability of regasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) is also anticipated to ease supply pressures.
However, the Power Division did not disclose RLNG sourcing details amid tight global supplies and high spot market prices. The situation has been further complicated by disruptions in liquefied natural gas exports due to force majeure conditions affecting facilities in Qatar amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
The government reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring a stable power supply while urging consumers to support conservation efforts during this challenging period.
