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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has issued an urgent tender under amended PPRA rules for liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes as the country grapples with intensifying power outages amid supply disruptions and rising summer demand.
The crisis has been linked to renewed tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping has reportedly been affected by actions involving Iran and the United States Navy. The situation has hindered Pakistan’s efforts to secure LNG shipments, including a planned arrangement with QatarEnergy, which declined to proceed due to security concerns.
Officials said Pakistan had initially sought to procure four LNG cargoes from Qatar but failed due to the disruption. In response, the government has directed Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL) to float a tender for three LNG cargoes under revised procurement rules. Last time the PLL floated the tender for LNG procurement in January 2024, which it later cancelled.
Now, according to the tender floated on Thursday (April 23, 2026), PLL is seeking international bids for three shipments of around 140,000 cubic metres each. The deliveries are scheduled for April 27-30, May 1-7, and May 8-14 at Port Qasim. Bids that are to be received before 2pm will be opened at 2.30pm on April 24, with authorities aiming to finalise contracts at 10pm the same day.
The global LNG market remains volatile, with spot prices hovering around $15.81 per MMBtu, while Asian spot rates recently surged to about $16.05 per MMBtu—up roughly 54% since late February. The landed cost would include high premium, insurance cover and freight charges.
Government officials stressed that unlike in the past, bid prices will not be used for negotiating cheaper deals with third parties such as SOCAR. “All accepted bids will be honoured,” an official said, addressing concerns raised previously by suppliers. Pakistan’s electricity demand currently stands at approximately 18,700 megawatts and is projected to exceed 23,000 megawatts in May. With gas supply to the power sector limited to around 90mmcfd, authorities have increasingly relied on expensive fuels such as furnace oil and diesel. Power generation from furnace oil has surged to nearly Rs75 per unit due to higher fuel costs and levies.
The government hopes the LNG imports will help ease loadshedding across the country, though it acknowledged that electricity tariffs may rise depending on procurement prices.
Meanwhile, the Power Division of Pakistan reported that hydropower generation remains significantly below capacity. Only about 4,950 megawatts were produced during peak hours against an installed capacity of 11,500 megawatts, largely due to reduced water releases.
Distribution companies have implemented load management of two to two-and-a-half hours during peak times, while “economic load management” continues on high-loss feeders. Additionally, around 5,500 megawatts of generation capacity remains idle due to LNG shortages, further exacerbating the energy shortfall.
