Govt Apologises as RLNG Shortfall Triggers Night-Time Loadshedding

Pakistan's government has apologised to electricity consumers for temporary night-time loadshedding caused by a shortage of regasified liquefied natural gas, saying the disruption will be reduced once delayed RLNG cargoes arrive. The Power Division issued the clarification on Saturday after consumers experienced power cuts during peak evening hours.

According to the Power Division, the system faced a shortfall of about 3,600 megawatts because an expected RLNG cargo did not arrive on schedule. The shortage affected gas-fired electricity generation at a time when demand was high, forcing authorities to impose temporary load management lasting between one and a half and three hours in some areas during the night.

The supply problem was compounded by a decline of around 195MW in electricity generation from Mangla Dam. To help bridge the gap, authorities brought furnace-oil-based power plants into operation during peak hours. The division said this additional generation was used to support the national grid and reduce the extent of shortages while RLNG supplies remained constrained.

Officials stressed that the power cuts were temporary and linked specifically to fuel availability. The Power Division said load management would be reduced as soon as the delayed RLNG cargoes reached the country. It also urged consumers to moderate electricity use during peak night-time hours so that pressure on the grid could be limited while fuel supplies remained disrupted.

The government said there was no general load management during daytime hours, although areas already subject to scheduled outages because of high electricity losses would continue to receive supply under their existing schedules. The Power Division concluded its statement by apologising to consumers affected by the temporary night-time interruptions.

The latest disruption comes against the backdrop of wider pressure on Pakistan's imported gas supplies. Regional tensions and interruptions affecting energy shipments from Qatar through the Strait of Hormuz have complicated the availability and cost of RLNG cargoes. Pakistan has previously had to purchase additional supplies from the spot market to compensate for disruptions in contracted deliveries.

Those supply pressures have also increased the cost of electricity generated from imported gas. RLNG-based generation costs rose sharply in recent months, adding to concerns about fuel-cost adjustments and the financial burden on consumers. The situation highlights Pakistan's continuing exposure to international energy-market disruptions despite a large share of domestic electricity generation coming from hydropower, nuclear and other local sources.

For households and businesses, the immediate concern is whether delayed LNG shipments arrive quickly enough to restore normal peak-hour generation. The government is expected to monitor fuel deliveries, available generation capacity and evening demand closely over the coming days. Any continued disruption to RLNG supplies could require further use of more expensive furnace-oil generation or additional temporary load management until the fuel balance improves.