Pakistan has an energy surplus. Here’s why 230 million people are affected by blackouts anyway

[_NOBODY_]

Pakistan has an energy surplus. Here’s why 230 million people are affected by blackouts anyway​

In January 2023, much of Pakistan’s population of nearly 230 million people plunged into darkness, bringing widespread disruption to people and industries for almost 24 hours.

“If you go to our government hospitals – which didn’t have back-up facilities – or field hospitals, or small nursing homes, they had to stop all their services,” said Dr. Shayan Ansari, a surgeon at a private hospital in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad.

A similar incident struck last October. Meanwhile, smaller blackouts regularly hit cities and villages for several hours daily.

But the problem is not energy supply.

“We don’t have a problem as far as the supply of energy is concerned in Pakistan,” said Ishrat Husain, who served as an advisor to ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan. “Both outages were caused because there were fluctuations on the transmission lines, which have not been updated for quite some time.”

In 2020, nearly 20 percent of Pakistan’s energy was simply lost during transmission, distribution and delivery.

Pakistan’s energy problems are having a cascading effect on the country’s economy, which is on the verge of collapse. Watch the video above to find out more.
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[VCheng]

But the problem is not energy supply.

The problem is that a majority cannot afford the true cost of the power they want to use, and the majority of the ones that can afford it do not pay for the power they do use. Add in corruption, mismanagement and lack of maintenance, and viola! Blackouts galore!

 

[_NOBODY_]

The problem is that a majority cannot afford the true cost of the power they want to use, and the a majority of the ones that can afford it do not pay for the power they do use. Add in corruption, mismanagement and lack of maintenance, and viola! Blackouts galore!

Not to mention the losses due to the obsolete power transmission system. In 2020, 19.8% of energy was lost during transmission, distribution and delivery to end consumers.

 

[Erieye]

Not to mention the losses due to the obsolete power transmission system. In 2020, 19.8% of energy was lost during transmission, distribution and delivery to end consumers.

i wonder how that compares to the western average of losses

 

[VCheng]

i wonder how that compares to the western average of losses

About 5%.

Not to mention the losses due to the obsolete power transmission system. In 2020, 19.8% of energy was lost during transmission, distribution and delivery to end consumers.

Lack of maintenance, and mismanagement without proper investment into upgrades.

 

[hussain0216]

The power is there, it's a crappy transmission system that causes the problem now

 

[ghazi52]

PROBLEM IS OLD TRANSMISSION LINES, DUE TO WHICH HUGE POWER LOSS. Then there is power theft both by households and Industries.
All political parties do not want to put money on transmission and no credit is available for this in public domain in Pakistan.

 

[313ghazi]

Wow, 1 in 4 Pakistani doesn't even have access to electricity!

 

[That Guy]

Old infrastructure, energy theft, and an incompetent government who favor building new colonies for their family's profits rather than fixing existing villages, towns, and cities.

 

[Meengla]

I have a distant relative in Hyderabad who, I heard, once boasted that he can have AC blasting in house running while having door or windows open. He steals electricity. I so much wanted to smack this guy on the face when I heard that!!!

 

[SoulSpokesman]

The difference between the 19.8% that @_NOBODY_ cites for Pak; and what @VCheng sb cites for West is what is euphemestically called T&D (or transmission and distribution) losses. In India we call it theft and dacoity losses.

Regards

 

[VCheng]

The difference between the 19.8% that @_NOBODY_ cites for Pak; and what @VCheng sb cites for West is what is euphemestically called T&D (or transmission and distribution) losses. In India we call it theft and dacoity losses.

Regards

Personally, I would prefer a little T&A over T&D anytime.

 

[SoulSpokesman]

@VCheng sb

All of us would.

Regards

 

[zn426]

It is beyond me how Pakistan can't recruit investors to engage in a public-private partnership to rebuild the transmission lines to modern standards and have theft control programs. The energy sector would be solvent if they just recovered that.

 

[Dalit]

It is beyond me how Pakistan can't recruit investors to engage in a public-private partnership to rebuild the transmission lines to modern standards and have theft control programs. The energy sector would be solvent if they just recovered that.

It is hard to imagine for you and me. Not for ordinary Pakistanis. Unfortunately, you can expect this when the leaders of a country prioritise self-enrichment and corruption over development.