Industrial, agri sectors top other sectors when it comes to power consumption

LAHORE: Both the industrial and agriculture sectors have surpassed household, commercial, and other sectors in terms of its share in the overall electricity consumption during the July-March 2021-22 against the corresponding period.

Pakistan Economic Survey 2021-22 has pointed out that the industrial sector has consumed 47% electricity during July-March 2021-22 against 49.1% during the corresponding period. Similarly, the agriculture sector consumed 9% during July-March 2021-22 against 8.9% in the corresponding period.

On the contrary, the household sector consumed 7% during July-March 2021-22 against 7.4% in the corresponding period. The commercial sector consumed 28% during July-March 2021-22 against 26.3% in the corresponding period. The other sectors have consumed 8% during July-March 2021-22 against 8.3% in the corresponding period.

Power sector experts have pointed out that the cost of electricity has led to low consumption of electricity by the household, commercial and other sectors. However, they added, the demand-push factor led to increase in power consumption both by the industrial and agriculture sectors.

It may be noted that the cost of electricity for domestic consumers is set to witness an increase of over seven rupees per unit by the start of new fiscal year.

They have proposed the government to direct finances to domestic consumers for installation of solar panels to solve electricity problems in the country, as some fifty percent electricity is consumed by the household sector in the country.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022