Govt working to introduce virtual grid system, says power minister

Islamabad: Power Minister Awais Leghari announced on Wednesday that the government is working on introducing a virtual grid system, allowing consumers to generate and store electricity. The minister revealed that regulations for virtual grids have already begun and will be finalized by the end of the current fiscal year. Discos have been instructed to install batteries on their grids as part of efforts to enhance the power system and promote energy storage. Leghari emphasized that the government aims to increase battery usage in Pakistan's power sector.

Earlier, at the NA Standing Committee on Power meeting, Leghari faced tough questioning from committee chairman Muhammad Idrees about the persistent electricity load-shedding. He acknowledged that load-shedding affects around 3,500 of the country's 14,500 feeders due to electricity theft and line losses. Within a year, the government plans to shift load-shedding from feeders to transformers, avoiding full feeder shutdowns.

Additionally, an on-off control system will be introduced for approximately 190,000 transformers, allowing consumers who pay their bills regularly to avoid disruptions.

Leghari stated that there is currently no additional load-shedding in the country; outages are primarily caused by system overloading. Heavy investment is required to upgrade the power system, and approval from Nepra would be sought for these enhancements. The minister mentioned that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz impacted the Petroleum Division's ability to receive LNG cargoes, leading to increased fuel costs.

He explained that load-shedding was carried out at night to reduce fuel expenses, as gas cargoes that once cost $30 million are now priced at over $95 million.