Pakistan imports 4.5 GW of batteries in six months as taxes reach 40 percent

Pakistan’s fast growing battery imports have raised concern over high taxes, weak safety rules and the risk that people who can afford

Islamabad:  Pakistan’s fast growing battery imports have raised concern over high taxes, weak safety rules and the risk that people who can afford storage may leave the national grid, shifting more costs onto consumers who cannot. At a Parliamentary Forum on Energy and Economy, industry representatives said batteries remain too expensive for many households, while lawmakers warned against Pakistan becoming a dumping ground for low quality imports without safety and recycling rules.

A Pakistan Solar Association representative said Pakistan imported about 4.5 gigawatts of battery storage equipment in the first six months of 2026, compared with historical cumulative imports of around 9.5 gigawatts. He said a basic five kilowatt hour battery could cost around Rs250,000 and that taxes and customs duties could add a burden of 35 to 40 percent, making claims of wide affordability unrealistic for low income families. These figures were presented by speakers at the forum.

The Power Division said it was preparing battery energy storage projects to capture surplus solar power during the day and release it when demand rises at night. An adviser to the division said tenders for four pilot projects of 10 megawatt hours each were expected within about 15 days. His spoken remarks named LESCO, GEPCO, IESCO and MEPCO, while the attached press note listed PESCO instead of GEPCO.

The official said the 2026 power generation expansion plan, due to be submitted, was designed to include about 1,500 megawatt hours of utility scale storage, with 1,000 megawatt hours at transmission level and 500 across distribution networks. Regulations to guide private investment and show where batteries are needed were expected to be developed by April 2027. The government was also considering classifying batteries as regulated assets, allowing storage to ease overloaded transformers instead of building new grid stations, at about half the cost in some cases.

The push comes as daytime electricity demand falls while night time peaks grow. The official said peak demand in the national transmission system reached about 26,522 megawatts, or around 29,000 megawatts including K Electric, while daytime demand could fall to 8,000 megawatts. He said building plants for peaks lasting only a few hours raises costs. Batteries could store cheaper daytime energy and cut reliance on gas plants and imported fuel, easing load shedding and tariff pressure.

Officials are considering time of use pricing to encourage industries to use more electricity when supply is cheaper. The Power Division said an industrial consumer with a load factor above 50 percent could see an example tariff fall from about Rs30 to Rs22 per unit, with rates of Rs6 to Rs9 proposed for certain periods. Tariff refinancing and contracts allowing industries to buy power from other suppliers were also being pursued, subject to approval.

Business participants, however, said high power costs were pushing factories to invest in solar, batteries and private generation instead of expanding production. One participant claimed that gas use by SSGC had fallen by about 50 percent in seven months as Karachi industries moved away from grid electricity. He claimed K Electric received gas at Rs1,450 per million British thermal units while industries paid Rs3,800 to Rs4,700 plus levies. These claims were not independently verified in the transcript.

Officials also said battery storage may eventually be required alongside electric vehicle chargers to prevent them overloading networks built for lower demand. Speakers warned that a battery rush without clear standards could create safety and waste problems. They called for better rules on system design, testing, fire safety and recycling, and urged the government to involve the solar industry in policy decisions.

A local battery manufacturing policy was said to be under preparation, but speakers cautioned that cell production would take years, with early efforts focused on assembly and raw materials.

Lawmakers from Balochistan and other participants criticised centralised planning and said provincial governments, rural communities and low income consumers must have a voice in energy decisions. They called for local investment linked to mineral resources and warned that separate storage spending by utilities, factories and households could leave poorer consumers carrying the remaining costs. The forum stressed that policy must balance grid stability with affordable power, energy security, industrial competitiveness and fair access.