The federal government is preparing a new system that will let power companies switch individual electricity transformers on and off. Federal Minister for Power Awais Leghari shared the details on Wednesday while speaking to reporters at Parliament House.
The main goal is to stop power theft without cutting supply to entire areas. Right now, when theft is found on one part of a line, officials often have to shut down the whole feeder. That leaves honest consumers without electricity for hours. The new approach will change this.
Under the planned system, authorities will target only the transformer linked to the problem. Other users on the same feeder will keep their power. Leghari called it a modern idea already working in several countries. He said the government is now building the rules to make it possible in Pakistan.
The system is expected to cover around 190,000 electricity transformers across the country. The full regulatory framework should be ready by April or May next year.
No Extra Load-Shedding, Minister Says
Leghari firmly rejected claims of additional power cuts. He said no extra load-shedding is happening at present. The government wants to keep the system fair for everyone.
On net metering, the minister explained that recent changes have pushed more people toward battery storage. The aim is simple. A small group of users should not place extra costs on the remaining 35 million consumers. Officials have already stopped that burden from falling on the wider public.
Virtual Grid and Other Updates
During a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Energy, Leghari also spoke about a virtual grid system. This will let people generate and store their own electricity. Work on the rules for it has already started.
Heavy investment is needed to upgrade the power network. The minister said approval for the required spending will be sought from the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority. Applications for net metering continue to arrive in large numbers.
Leghari also touched on gas supply. The Petroleum Division cannot receive liquefied natural gas cargoes because of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The government is therefore using local gas carefully.
He added that without proper management, consumers would face an extra Rs6 per unit on their bills. The new transformer control system and related steps are meant to protect both supply and affordability.
