Well, why we read that supply is more than demand and that there is still load sheading?
Karachi is different:
Actually, Pakistan has dual electricity supply network.
KESC supplies Electricity to Karachi (and unfortunately at twice the price than what other part of Pakistan gets … I think this is happenign since Ayub Khan time … could be earlier).
WAPDA supply electricity to other parts of Pakistan (at normally less than half the price people of Karachi gets their electricity).
Karachi with 400000 people in 1947 had very little electricity supply but also demand per head was not that high too (as per head consumption was very little).
Karachi today with 16 million people (40 times that of 1947) needs huge electricity supply especially with huge increase of consumption per head.
Karachi population is increasing very fast … (around 3 percent natural growth plus new arrivals from other parts of Pakistan to look for job)
That means two problems: Demand of electricity is increasing very fast every year (more these days, as city is developing very fast and also per head consumption is increasing fast, plus new industries are demanding more electricity)
Production of new electricity generation capacity plus needs for new distribution network not only needs time but cost huge money.
It is believed that over 40 percent of electricity get stolen in Karachi, especially at places settled by poor coming to city to earn their living and are not regularised by authority … but since sometime, even some amongst settled population is stealing electricity. That means, supply of electricity without getting paid for it, means no money for maintaining and investment, means difficultly in spending money in generating electricity for the city as well as for replacing or rehauling distribution network (even wire and transformers needs money and those that work to change wire and transformers also are paid .. no one works free, means no money is paid for electricity (or whatever) … nothing moves).
Hence, major cause of Karachi load shedding is .. stealing of electricity by thiefs causing lack of resources … increase in demands (very high increase during last 8 years), shortage of electricity generation capacity (because of fund as well as time) and old distribution network that could not take up the load of demand and thus burning down or tripping every now and then,
I do not mean to say that there is easy solution. Only time (years) and fast development (over several years) would cure the problem (that could stagnate easily if and when corrupts like NS and BB come back to power again).
I think that for fast development of the country, population movement has to stop … development has to get speeded up and corruption has to go.
[Pakistan should bring laws that anyone in government service or those that ever get into the corridor of power or in government (all people’s representative, at lowest level) are found living beyond their known means, should be porsecuted and had to tell their means, or get hanged … plus all their assets should get confiscated].