ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Thursday that liquefied natural gas (LNG) shortages amid the ongoing Iran conflict had knocked out around 4,700 megawatts of electricity generation, even as authorities avoided peak-time outages by ramping up hydropower and local gas supply.
A power division statement said no “load-shedding,” or planned power outages to manage electricity demand, was carried out during peak evening hours on Apr. 29, with hydropower generation reaching about 6,000 MW, and additional domestic gas helping stabilize the national grid.
The update comes as Pakistan grapples with energy supply disruptions triggered by weeks of war in Iran, which began with joint US-Israeli strikes and has since roiled global energy markets and maritime trade.
Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz — a key route for roughly one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies — while the United States has enforced a counter-blockade of Iranian ports.
“Due to the unavailability of LNG in the current global situation, around 4,700 MW of power generation capacity is not operational,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
The increase in hydropower output and improved local gas availability allowed transmission of up to 500 MW from the country’s south to the national grid, it added.
Still, officials warned that shortages could persist, with relief tied to improved LNG availability and higher water releases for power generation.
The supply crunch follows a sharp disruption in LNG flows to Pakistan, which has not received any cargoes loaded after the conflict began on Feb. 28, prompting Pakistan LNG Limited to issue its first spot tender since Dec. 2023 for three cargoes.
Azerbaijan’s state energy company SOCAR has said it is ready to supply LNG to Pakistan under a 2025 framework agreement that allows direct purchases through an accelerated process.
The situation in and around the Strait of Hormuz remains tense, with US President Donald Trump saying on Wednesday the naval blockade could last for months, arguing it was more effective than bombing Iran, which has demanded an end to restrictions on its ports before any agreement.
Trump’s statement was followed by a spike in global energy markets, with Brent crude for June delivery jumping more than 5 percent to $124.81 a barrel, its highest in over four years, while US West Texas Intermediate rose about 2 percent to above $109.
