APTMA Urges Peak-Hour Overhaul for Grid Efficiency

ISLAMABAD: The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has fired off a blistering letter to the Power Minister, demanding a radical overhaul of the peak hours regime to mirror real grid demand, slamming massive capacity underutilization and a yawning seasonal demand chasm.

APTMA cites Discos and K-Electric data revealing the national peak now slams near midnight, not the outdated 6–10 p.m. (spring) or 7–11 p.m. (summer) slots. Demand keeps climbing post-peak, hitting 21,000+ MW, proving transmission capacity sits idle while punitive tariffs choke usage.

The current setup cripples grid efficiency and stifles industrial consumption, APTMA charges. It urges a data-driven audit to pinpoint where peak fuel costs offset lower capacity charges, yielding tariff neutrality.

APTMA pushes tiered peak pricing to ignite usage among price-sensitive consumers, boosting efficiency. It spotlights an 8,000–10,000 MW summer-winter gap—wasted capacity ripe for a winter tariff pegged to marginal generation cost.

Such a tariff would revive off-season industry, lift load factor, and spread fixed costs. APTMA pledges technical firepower and data modeling to realign peak policy with actual consumption.