Islamabad: The government’s Surplus Power Package has led to a significant increase in electricity consumption in both the industrial and agricultural sectors, according to a recent press release. These sectors consumed an additional 2,164 gigawatt-hours of electricity over a three-month period, marking a substantial rise in energy demand.

According to Radio Pakistan, the Power Division reported that this increase in consumption, from December last year to February this year, accounted for twenty-three percent of all units sold to these sectors. The initiative, introduced under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, offered a competitive rate of 22.98 rupees per unit on incremental usage, aiming to support and provide relief to these key sectors.

The financial impact of the package has been notable, with industries saving a total of 19.6 billion rupees and agricultural consumers saving 1.14 billion rupees. The total financial relief provided by the package amounts to 20.83 billion rupees, underscoring its effectiveness in reducing energy costs for these sectors.