ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s national power system recorded its highest-ever January generation in 2026, reaching a peak of 16,584 megawatts (MW) and exceeding official projections by 14 per cent despite major plant outages, reduced hydropower availability and widespread fog-related transmission disruptions, the Power Division said.
Average generation during the month stood at 12,239 MW, while total energy output reached 9,106 gigawatt-hours (GWh), compared with a reference projection of 7,962 GWh. The figure marked a 13 per cent increase over January 2025, underscoring what officials described as exceptional system management under adverse conditions.
The month was marked by significant generation constraints. The 1,040 MW K-3 nuclear plant remained on forced outage, along with 1,180 MW at Haveli Bahadur Shah. Sahiwal Coal experienced partial and forced outages, while the 300 MW C-III unit underwent refuelling.
Lean hydrological conditions and canal closures limited hydel output, and dense fog caused transmission line tripping in both northern and southern regions.
Despite the reduced baseload capacity, the system operated strictly on merit-order dispatch, optimising available thermal generation and carefully managing hydropower within water limits. Transmission corridors were closely monitored to safeguard grid stability and prevent cascading failures or widespread load management during peak winter demand.
Currently, demand is being met primarily through hydropower supported by improved water inflows, with only one RLNG-based plant in operation. No furnace oil-based generation was utilised, including during peak Ramazan hours.
