KARACHI: A recent research report warns that Pakistan’s heavy reliance on imported Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG/RLNG) poses a severe threat to the country’s energy security and electricity price stability. Despite receiving all regulatory approvals, K-Electric’s 640 MW solar and wind energy projects have been omitted from the IGCEP 2025 baseline plan, creating implementation uncertainties. Currently, about 90% of K-Electric’s power generation—along with a significant portion of the national grid—depends on imported RLNG, leaving the energy sector highly exposed to global price volatility and geopolitical crises like those in the Strait of Hormuz. However, implementing these 640 MW renewable projects by FY 2027 could save $432 million in system costs by 2035, and if integrated with a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), these savings could surge up to $1.5 billion while significantly reducing reliance on the national grid. Consequently, the study urges an immediate shift toward cost-effective, reliable, and diversified domestic renewable energy sources to safeguard Pakistan’s energy future.
