ISLAMABAD: K-Electric has claimed that approximately 72 per cent of its 11 kV feeders, including all industrial feeders, are exempt from load shedding under normal operating conditions, while disruptions during the recent gas crisis and damage to underground cables have contributed to unplanned power interruptions in Karachi.
In communication with Power Division, the power utility company stated that out of its total 2,136 feeders, 1,531 feeders, or 72 per cent, were exempt from load shedding, whereas the remaining 605 feeders, representing 28 per cent, were subjected to segmented load management based on their Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses, including electricity theft and non-payment.
The company maintained that its load-shedding policy was aligned with the principles of the National Electricity Policy 2021 and was also being followed by other distribution companies (DISCOs).
READ ALSO: AT&C-based load shedding: No action against DISCOs & KE due to stay orders: Nepra
KE explained that between October 6 and 12, 2026, the national gas crisis following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted Re-gasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) supplies, with no LNG cargo available during the period. The situation was further aggravated by NEPRA’s de-notification of Bin Qasim Power Station-I (BQPS-I), having a capacity of 360 MW, and Korangi Power Complex (KPC), with 220 MW, despite both plants being capable of operating on alternative fuels.
To mitigate the generation shortfall, KE approached NEPRA through a letter seeking permission for operation of BQPS-I on furnace oil. The company stated that this intervention helped bridge the generation deficit and limit load management on feeders ordinarily exempt from load shedding.
KE added that following the arrival of RLNG cargoes, fuel supplies had returned to normal and electricity supply was currently being maintained under normal operating conditions.
The company also emphasised that power interruptions resulting from technical faults, system maintenance or customer-side issues were frequently misconstrued as load shedding, although such outages were distinct from scheduled load management.
It further identified unauthorised excavation and pickaxing associated with ongoing development work across Karachi as a major cause of damage to its underground cable network, resulting in unplanned outages and disruption of network integrity.
According to KE, power interruptions in certain areas also arise from targeted operations against electricity theft and customer defaults. These include removal of illegal jumpers (kundas) and temporary disconnections, undertaken as a last resort to improve recovery and the overall AT&C loss profile of affected feeders.
The company argued that such interventions should not be categorised as load shedding, as they represented efforts to curb electricity theft, improve recoveries and enhance operational efficiency.
KE reiterated its commitment to improving the AT&C loss profile of feeders across its service area, maintaining that better recovery performance and reduced electricity theft would ultimately result in lower load shedding.
It also sought support from all stakeholders, particularly the Government of Pakistan, for introducing appropriate provisions in the legal framework to make electricity theft and default cognizable offences.
KE maintained that the distinction between load shedding and other interruptions was essential for assessing its operational performance, arguing that its feeder-based load management policy, coupled with efforts to reduce theft and improve recoveries, was intended to ensure greater reliability of electricity supply.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Minister for Power SardarAwais Ahmad Khan Leghari directed DISCOs to curtail the rising number of power disruptions across the country.
In response, immediate measures were taken until October 15, excluding disruptions caused by supply shortfalls and seasonal factors. These included suspension of maintenance and parallel maintenance activities during economic load management, as well as night patrolling to address jumper-related and conductor-line issues, identified as the most dominant causes of interruptions.
The measures reportedly resulted in a 96 per cent reduction in disruptions in Punjab, followed by 56 per cent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 76 per cent in Sindh.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
Comments