K-Electric warns of night-time load management in Karachi as RLNG shortage hits power plants

K-Electric load shedding warning: Karachi's power utility said it may have to impose load management during evening and night peak hours as an "extreme, last-resort measure", because of a nationwide shortage of re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) caused by international supply disruptions and delayed cargoes, Dawn reported. KE expects daytime supply to stay mostly steady.

What KE said

KE spokesperson Imran Rana said in a post on X that the company is working with Pakistan LNG Limited and other authorities to restore normal gas supply as quickly as possible, and apologised to customers. KE has not published a schedule, a list of areas or the number of hours, so it is not yet clear which feeders would be affected or for how long.

Why the gas is short

Pakistan's RLNG comes by ship, and the Middle East conflict has disrupted the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, delaying cargoes and raising prices, Dawn reported. The shortage affects gas-fired power plants across the country, not only Karachi's. Planning for winter is already tight:

• Gas companies and the Petroleum Division asked for at least 22 LNG cargoes for December to February.
• The government's energy task force offered no more than 10 to 12 cargoes, on a best-effort basis.
• Each spot cargo costs about $100 million (roughly Rs 2,770 crore at today's dollar rate of Rs 277).
• Officials quoted by Dawn expect only seven to eight cargoes to actually arrive.

That gap is why KE is warning now: without enough RLNG, the evening peak, when demand is highest, is the hardest time to meet.

What you can do in Karachi

• Shift heavy use to the day: run washing machines, irons and water pumps before evening while supply is steady.
• Check your backup: if you rely on a UPS, work out how long it will last with our battery backup calculator.
• Keep an eye on the bill: see what your units cost with the electricity bill calculator, and get your KE bill online with our KE duplicate bill guide.

We will add KE's schedule here if the company publishes one.