70% K-Electric Feeders Now Loadshedding Free, Claims Energy Secretary

Parliamentary Secretary for Energy Division, Aamir Talal Khan, informed the National Assembly on Wednesday that 70 percent of the total 2,100 feeders operated by K-Electric are now free from load-shedding, APP reported. Responding to a calling attention notice regarding persistent electricity outages in Karachi, he said that 282 out of 295 mixed feeders—serving both domestic and commercial consumers—are load-shedding free. He explained that electricity outages in Karachi primarily occur in areas with high line losses and electricity theft. “The duration of load-shedding depends on recovery rates and losses in specific areas,” he added. He elaborated that areas experiencing 25–30 percent losses face six hours of load-shedding, while feeders with losses exceeding 30 percent endure up to 10 hours of outages. He highlighted that areas like Defence, Gulshan, and Bahadurabad remain largely free of load-shedding due to their 99 percent recovery rates. In contrast, regions such as Lyari, Gadap, and Orangi suffer prolonged outages because of significant line losses and electricity theft. The secretary also shared the success of the winter energy package, which led to an increase of 14 million units in the domestic sector, 10 million units in the commercial sector, and an additional 28 million units in the industrial sector. He further informed that 450 MW of electricity is now being generated through net metering. Responding to a question from Syed Rafiullah, he clarified that there is no unannounced load-shedding in Karachi. The load-shedding schedule, he explained, is based on recovery and loss rates in specific areas. In response to an inquiry from Abdul Qadir Patel, Khan clarified that the determination of electricity tariffs for power distribution companies (DISCOs) across Pakistan is the responsibility of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA).