The federal government has announced plans to implement an advanced electricity management system enabling power authorities to control individual transformers by switching them on or off, Federal Minister for Power Awais Leghari stated on Wednesday. This initiative aims to address electricity theft more precisely without disrupting power supply to entire feeders.

Leghari explained that under the new system, only the transformer associated with theft or non-compliance would be disconnected, sparing other consumers on the same feeder from outages. He highlighted that this approach is a modern concept already adopted in several countries and that the government is currently developing its implementation framework.

The minister added that the regulatory framework for this system is expected to be finalized by April or May next year. He also dismissed rumors of increased electricity load-shedding, affirming that no additional outages are currently being imposed.

Regarding net metering, Leghari noted that recent adjustments have motivated consumers to install battery storage solutions. He emphasized the government’s goal to prevent the financial burden caused by a small segment of consumers from being transferred to the broader population, stating, “We have stopped the burden of three to four lakh people from being placed on the remaining 35 million consumers.”

In a significant development, Leghari also revealed that the government is preparing regulations for a virtual grid system, which would enable individuals to generate and store their own electricity. Work on the regulatory framework for this system is already underway, he said.

The minister pointed out that substantial investment is necessary to upgrade the power infrastructure, and approval for the required expenditure will be sought from the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra). He mentioned that applications for net metering continue to be received in large numbers.

Leghari further explained that the government is managing the use of locally produced gas prudently, considering the current situation. On the topic of load-shedding, he clarified that without such measures, consumers would face an additional cost of Rs6 per unit on their electricity bills.