September 24, 2026
EXPLAINER By Tahir Subhani · 📅 Published 24 September 2026 · ✓ Based on official data and NEPRA filings
⚡ The Short Answer
Pakistan’s power plants are short of imported gas (LNG) because the 2026 regional crisis disrupted shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. The backup options, furnace oil and diesel plants, make electricity so expensive that they’re mostly kept off. The result is a gap of more than 4,000 MW between demand and supply, which is filled with load shedding. The same crisis is also why your bills keep rising.
Load Shedding in Pakistan
In September 2026, millions of Pakistanis faced long, often unannounced power cuts, some lasting 10 to 12 hours a day, even as electricity bills climbed month after month. It seems contradictory: why pay more for less power? The answer lies in one fuel: imported natural gas.
1. Demand Is Higher Than Supply
In early September, national electricity demand was reported at about 24,000 MW, while available generation was around 20,000 MW. That 4,000 MW gap has to be closed somehow, and distribution companies close it by cutting supply to some feeders in turn. That is load shedding.
2. The LNG Supply Shock
Pakistan imports liquefied natural gas (LNG), much of it from Qatar, and turns it back into gas (RLNG) to run power plants. According to officials, the regional security situation and transport difficulties around the Strait of Hormuz disrupted these supplies, cutting how much electricity those plants could produce. When shortages forced purchases on the spot market, the gas that did arrive was much more expensive.
This is the same crisis that pushed up petrol and diesel prices. Read how the Iran war affected fuel prices in Pakistan.
3. Why Not Run the Oil-Fired Plants?
Pakistan has power plants that burn furnace oil and diesel, but electricity from them is considerably more expensive. Running them to end load shedding would add heavily to the fuel adjustment on every consumer’s bill. So the system faces a hard choice between more load shedding and even higher bills, and has leaned towards load shedding.
4. Why High-Loss Areas Suffer Most
Distribution companies don’t cut every area equally. Feeders are grouped by their losses: power lost in the wires, plus theft and unpaid bills. High-loss feeders get the longest cuts, which is why parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh reported 10 to 12 hours a day while some urban areas saw far less. Learn how feeder-based load shedding works.
5. How the Same Crisis Raises Your Bill
Every month, NEPRA compares the actual fuel cost of generating power with the reference cost built into tariffs, and passes the difference on as a fuel charges adjustment (FCA). Expensive spot-market LNG pushed up the cost of generation, which is why:
- September bills carry a Rs 2.0581 per unit FCA for July, driven mainly by spot LNG purchases. See the full breakdown.
- A further Rs 1.7267 per unit has been requested for August, with a NEPRA hearing on 29 September. Read about the October increase.
In August, hydropower was the biggest source of electricity at 37.84%, followed by imported coal at 15.59%. Cheap hydropower helps, but it can’t fully replace the missing gas.
6. What Is the Government Doing?
- On 11 September 2026, the Prime Minister ordered that no area should face more than two hours of load shedding and called for urgent action on RLNG supplies. Read about the two-hour cap.
- Consumer grievance committees were ordered at every distribution company. How to use them.
7. Will It Get Better?
Electricity demand in Pakistan usually falls as temperatures drop in October and November and air-conditioner use declines, which normally eases pressure on the grid. However, hydropower output also usually falls in winter, and the gas supply outlook depends on the regional situation. We’ll update this explainer as things develop. [Editor: add any official outlook from the Power Division when published.]
What You Can Do
- Keep phones, a UPS, or batteries charged before your feeder’s usual cut times.
- Protect your fridge and AC with a stabilizer, because voltage can spike when power returns.
- Report cuts longer than two hours to 118 and keep your token number.
- Use less electricity during peak hours (6–10 PM this season) to help the grid and your bill.
✅ Sources and How We Checked
Written by Tahir Subhani, founder of Petrol Price Pakistan, who follows Pakistan’s fuel and power sectors and how they affect household costs.
Sources: Prime Minister’s Office statement of 11 September 2026; NEPRA’s July 2026 FCA decision and CPPA-G’s August 2026 FCA petition (nepra.org.pk); reporting by Dawn, Business Recorder, The Express Tribune, Pakistan Times and Samaa (September 2026).
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is there load shedding in Pakistan in 2026?
Imported gas (LNG) supplies to power plants were disrupted by the regional crisis around the Strait of Hormuz, creating a shortfall of over 4,000 MW.
Why don’t they use oil-fired power plants?
Electricity from furnace oil and diesel is much more expensive, and the extra cost would be passed on to consumers through fuel adjustments.
Why are bills rising if there is load shedding?
The gas that is available costs more, especially when bought on the spot market. NEPRA passes higher fuel costs on to consumers through the monthly fuel charges adjustment.
Why does my area get more load shedding than others?
Distribution companies give longer cuts to feeders with higher losses from theft and unpaid bills.