As the temperatures in Lahore continue to climb, the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) has reported a significant surge in electricity demand. According to LESCO, this escalation has resulted in a shortfall of approximately 100 megawatts (MW), thereby impacting the regular power supply in both urban and rural areas of the region.
The Current Power Shortfall
A spokesperson for LESCO elaborated on the power demand and production figures. As per their information, the total demand for electricity across the country has rocketed to 22,200 MW. Contrarily, the overall power production is only managing to reach 19,000 MW. This disparity has resulted in an alarming shortfall, amassing up to 3,200 MW.
This shortfall is keenly felt in Lahore, where urban areas suffer from power outages lasting up to three hours. For the citizens residing in the more rural locations, the situation is graver with load shedding durations extending to three to four hours.
Load Shedding Measures by LESCO
The spokesperson further clarified LESCO’s current strategy to manage this crisis. According to them, the organization is implementing load shedding specifically on line loss feeders. This tactic primarily targets areas with higher rates of electricity theft and technical losses. This measure aims to ensure an equitable distribution of the available power resources.
To put the situation into perspective, the spokesperson mentioned that the total demand for electricity in the areas under LESCO’s jurisdiction alone is 3,600 MW. Meanwhile, the supply is struggling to meet this requirement and only manages to provide 3,500 MW, thus resulting in a shortfall of 100 MW within Lahore itself.
