Energy Minister Awais Leghari has announced that areas served by loss-making feeders will continue to experience power outages as temperatures soar above 50°C in parts of Sindh.
His statement came amid sporadic protests across the country against unannounced loadshedding during the scorching heat.
During a press conference in Islamabad on Thursday, Leghari directed power distribution companies (Discos) to enhance their overall performance and reduce the duration of loadshedding.
The energy minister also instructed the distribution companies to provide daily updates on electricity demand and supply to the public.
He mentioned that the management of power distribution companies will be replaced with competent personnel to improve efficiency.
Leghari identified high-loss feeders, technical faults, and electricity theft as major causes of power outages, and stated that the system is being gradually revamped to address loadshedding.
He noted a shortfall of 4,232 megawatts in the country, which high-loss feeders are unable to manage.
Leghari reported that there are 150 loss-making feeders in Punjab, 700 in Sindh, 350 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and around 80 in Balochistan, all of which will be overhauled.
He assured that the country has ample capacity for electricity generation and pledged to meet the electricity demand this summer and in the coming year.
Additionally, the energy minister reiterated that the federal government is discontinuing the solar net metering policy, with any decisions to be made in consultation with all stakeholders.
State Minister for Power Ali Pervaiz Malik urged the public to help identify instances of power theft, emphasizing that their cooperation is essential to overcoming loadshedding.
