Grid bottlenecks

2026-02-25 - 00:13

THERE are consistent reports that the power sector is bleeding mainly due to lack of planning and inefficiencies but instead of addressing these issues the authorities opt for the easiest option of hiking the tariffs and denying consumers of the benefit of technology. This has been confirmed in the Transmission Performance Evaluation Report of NEPRA for the year 2024-25, which says the fragile power transmission system is pushing electricity costs higher for consumers, with overloaded grid stations, delayed projects and poor coordination forcing the country to rely on more expensive power generation. It is a sorry state of affairs that the country obtained external loans worth billions of dollars in the name of improving infrastructure and capacity of the power sector but most of them went down the drain in implementing projects and programmes like repeated meter replacements and ordinary bulbs than on replacement of the inefficient transformers, grid stations, transmission and distribution lines with modern ones. It is because of this that many grid stations and power transformers are operating beyond 80 per cent of their rated capacity, exposing the system to voltage instability, equipment damage and possible outages. Delays in key transmission upgrades have created bottlenecks that prevent low-cost electricity generated in the south from reaching major demand centers in the north. The report has pointed out a lack of planning observing that utilization of one major corridor remained far below its capacity, imposing “a direct financial burden on consumers despite the line’s full operational readiness.” These are the issues that require proper attention of the Ministry so that resources are judiciously exploited to improve quality and standards of service for consumers.