The federal government is preparing to introduce a New Loadshedding System that will link electricity outages directly with consumer bill payments at the transformer level.
Federal Minister for Energy Sardar Awais Leghari shared details of the proposed mechanism during a session of the National Assembly. He said the government plans to gradually replace the existing feeder based load management system with a transformer based model within the next year.
Under the proposed framework, electricity supply will depend on recovery rates from consumers connected to specific transformers. Areas where residents regularly pay electricity bills will receive improved power supply, while locations with poor recoveries may continue facing load shedding.
The government believes the policy will encourage timely payments and help reduce financial losses in Pakistan’s struggling power sector.
Leghari said authorities currently maintain zero load shedding on nearly 11,500 feeders across the country. However, he explained that completely ending power cuts nationwide would sharply increase losses and place additional pressure on the energy sector.
According to the minister, unpaid bills, electricity theft, and weak recoveries continue to damage the financial health of power distribution companies.
Pakistan has relied on a feeder based load shedding system for many years. Under that model, electricity outages depend on line losses and recovery performance within a feeder area. Officials now believe the new transformer based approach can create a more accurate and fair system.
The minister said the government is still working on technical details and implementation policies before the system becomes operational. Once finalized, the transition from feeder based load management will begin in phases.
Officials argue that paying consumers should not suffer because of defaulters living within the same feeder zone. The new policy aims to separate responsible consumers from areas where electricity theft and non payment remain common.
The announcement comes as the government faces increasing pressure to control circular debt and improve the financial condition of the power sector.
In recent months, many consumers across Pakistan have complained about prolonged power outages despite paying bills on time. Citizens have repeatedly criticized the current system for treating regular bill payers and electricity thieves alike.
Authorities hope the New Loadshedding System will improve accountability, strengthen bill recoveries, and reduce unnecessary electricity cuts for compliant consumers.
Pakistan’s energy sector continues to face major economic challenges due to rising fuel prices, transmission losses, and unpaid electricity dues. The government believes reforms in the load management system are necessary to stabilize the sector and improve service delivery.
Officials are expected to finalize implementation plans in the coming months before introducing the system nationwide.