The Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, chaired a high-powered meeting and approved a two-hour load-shedding plan for the summer season from March 1 to September 2023.
The government is currently implementing a two-hour power outage, which will also continue during Ramazan, but there will be no load-shedding during Sehr and Iftar times.
During the meeting, officials developed a load management plan under three scenarios, which included a two-hour, three-hour, and four-hour load-shedding plan depending on the availability of funds and power generation capacity. The officials stated that a total cash cover of Rs. 2.280 trillion, Rs. 2.183 trillion, and Rs. 2.106 trillion would be needed for a two-hour, three-hour, and four-hour plan, respectively.
The Central Power Purchasing Agency-Guarantee (CPPA-G) will provide Rs. 1.945 trillion, Rs. 1.874 trillion, and Rs. 1.821 trillion for a two-hour, three-hour, and four-hour plan, respectively.
The load management strategy will necessitate a total currency cover of $1.280 billion, with $410 million, $343 million, and $299 million necessary for a two-hour, three-hour, and four-hour load-shedding plan, respectively.
Furthermore, Rs. 175 billion, Rs. 164 billion, and Rs.142 billion will be required for Residual Fuel Oil (RFO) for two, three, and four-hour load management, respectively. However, the government has decided not to use imported RFO for electricity generation.
Load-shedding in Ramadan and Summers
Load-shedding is a common issue in Pakistan during the summer season, which stretches from March to September. The increased demand for electricity due to the scorching heat and prolonged hours of load-shedding can be extremely challenging for the general public, especially during Ramazan when Muslims fast for the whole month.
Ramadan dates and calendar 2023
The lunar calendar predicts that in Pakistan, Ramadan 2023 will most likely fall on Wednesday, March 22, 2023.
However, according to tradition, a moon-sighting committee made up of religious scholars, astronomers, and other authorities must establish the precise date of the start of the holy month while it is still dark.
Furthermore, The committee is in charge of keeping an eye out for specific sightings related to the cycle and appearance of the new crescent moon, which marks the beginning of Ramadan.
Pavan Manzoor is an experienced content writer , editor and social media handler along with a track record of youth-oriented activities in Pakistan and abroad. She was selected as a fully-funded delegate as a leadership fellow in Turkey. She also led a team of 5 volunteers at the week-long Young Professionals Fellowship in Maldives. She is also a member of the Youth Standing Committee on Higher Education.
