SNGPL announces winter gas load-shedding schedule

Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has issued a new gas load-shedding schedule for consumers in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the winter months of December to February. Households have been advised to plan breakfast and other meals during the allocated supply hours.

Gas will now be available in three daily slots: 5:30am to 8:30am, 11:30am to 1:30pm, and 5:30pm to 8:30pm. Officials clarified that industrial consumers will not face load-shedding. They added that while winter demand has surged, gas remains available in the system and there is no shortage. Consumers are urged to use gas efficiently.

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The announcement follows federal directives on winter gas management. On November 24, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervez Malik chaired a meeting on seasonal gas supply, instructing utilities to ensure uninterrupted service. Officials from SNGPL, Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC), the Petroleum Division, and OGRA attended the meeting.

Malik noted domestic gas supply this year is “significantly better” compared to last winter, with consumers receiving gas from 5am to 10pm, particularly during mealtimes.

Gas load-shedding has been a major concern in recent years, with households using 50% of available supplies. Pakistan holds 0.4% of global gas reserves but consumes 1.1% of global supply. The government has also resumed issuing Regasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) connections to households after a four-year halt, previously imposed due to declining reserves.

The new schedule aims to balance demand, ensure public convenience, and reduce reliance on expensive alternatives such as LPG for cooking and heating.