Pakistan’s industry, farms soar with 2,164 GWh power uptake

April 3, 2026 (MLN): Pakistan’s industrial and agricultural sectors have recorded a substantial rise in electricity consumption, using an additional 2,164 GWh between December 2025 and February 2026, data from the Power Division shows.

The increase shows a growing shift by businesses and farmers toward more cost-effective grid electricity.

Under the program, incremental electricity is priced at Rs22.98 per unit, representing one of the lowest rates for high-consumption users in the country.

During the three-month period, this accounted for 23% of all electricity sold to industrial and agricultural consumers, highlighting the scale of uptake, according to the press release.

Financial impact: Industrial users saved a total of Rs19.6bn, while agricultural consumers saved Rs1.14bn, bringing cumulative relief to Rs20.83bn.

Among industrial categories, B3 consumers saved the most at Rs8.76bn, followed by B2 at Rs5.34bn, B4 at Rs4.02bn, and B1 at Rs1.48bn.

Consumer participation was significant across sectors: 67% of B4 large industries (83 of 123), 52% of B3 (1,812 of 3,470), 48% of B2 (33,449 of 69,124), and 43% of B1 industries (98,718 of 229,282) availed the package. In agriculture, 34% of consumers (82,334 of 242,451) benefited.

Energy consumption share under the package shows B1 industries leading at 27%, followed by B4 at 25%, B2 at 24%, B3 at 22%, and agriculture at 21%.

Monthly growth trends underline the impact: 12% year-on-year growth in January 2026 and 11% in February 2026, indicating that industries are increasingly relying on cheaper grid power instead of expensive self-generation.

The rising demand for surplus electricity is a positive signal for Pakistan’s industrial output and energy sector stability, with cost savings likely to support further economic activity in key sectors.

The program was introduced to optimize available generation capacity and provide financial relief to industrial and agricultural consumers, offering targeted incentives that have clearly influenced energy consumption patterns.

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