Pakistan Ends Loadshedding as LNG Shipment Arrives

Pakistan’s Power Minister Awais Leghari announced on May 1, 2026, that the country’s month-long period of loadshedding has ended. The announcement followed the arrival of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipment on April 30, 2026.

In a recorded televised message, Leghari stated that the recent power outages were caused by a gas shortage linked to the war between the United States and Iran. He clarified that the crisis was not the result of incompetence or system failure.

The supply disruption began after April 1, 2026, when the state-run energy firm of Qatar declared force majeure. According to the minister, this action resulted in a huge gap in the power requirements that were typically fulfilled through gas plants during peak hours.

Timeline of Power Outages

The minister provided a detailed timeline of the outages experienced by consumers over the past month. On April 13 and 14, 2026, consumers faced power outages of up to five hours. This increased on April 15 and 16, 2026, when outages lasted around seven hours.

Following that peak, the duration of loadshedding was reduced. While outages were briefly brought down to zero in the subsequent days, the loadshedding duration remained at 2–2.5 hours until April 29, 2026.

Leghari noted that the decision to maintain two hours of daily loadshedding was intended to keep electricity prices under control. He added that loadshedding had not been experienced for six to seven years, having been eliminated during the tenure of Nawaz Sharif.

Energy Mitigation and Procurement

To stabilize the power supply during the LNG shortage, the government shifted toward alternative energy sources and fuel-based plants. Hydropower generation was increased to 6,000 MW, up from a previous 1,000 MW.

The ministry also utilized furnace oil selectively to limit loadshedding to 2-2.5 hours while attempting to protect consumers from additional financial burdens. Leghari explained that relying exclusively on diesel or furnace oil would have made electricity more expensive.

To further mitigate the crisis, the government purchased expensive gas on the spot market. On April 24, 2026, the state-run Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL) secured three bids for LNG cargoes at prices ranging from $17.997 to $18.88 per million British thermal units (mmBtu). These cargoes were expected to be delivered between April 27 and May 8, 2026.

System Impact and Scope

The government’s loadshedding plan, announced on April 14, 2026, called for more than two hours of daily outages during peak hours. However, the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) and K-Electric were excluded from this specific plan.

Minister Leghari promised that no further loadshedding would be carried out. He expressed hope that the transmission system would remain stable through the peak summer season.

The minister had previously apologized for the excessive loadshedding during a press conference on April 16, 2026, where he identified the fuel supply crisis caused by the Middle East war as a primary external factor.