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The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has formally rejected the Power Division's Integrated System Plan 2025-35 (ISP), raising serious questions about the ten-year electricity roadmap, 24NewsHD TV reported on Saturday. 

In a letter written to the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), APTMA has demanded that the plan not be approved, arguing that it is fundamentally flawed and detrimental to the country’s economy.

The association claimed that the ISP grossly overstated grid demand, which had led to the imposition of excessive capacity charges on consumers.

The expenditure is too high in the ISP plan, and its estimated cost is too high.

APTMA said that heavy capacity charges are imposed by showing additional grid demand.

The association said that capacity charges are increased from Rs2 to Rs17 per unit, and the government is paying Rs6 trillion under the head of capacity payments.

 APTMA further suggested that the ceiling for capacity charges be capped at Rs5 per unit to provide much-needed relief to industries and consumers.

It suggested that the correct expenditure on electricity production should be obtained.

The textile body also highlighted that actual industrial demand for electricity had declined by 4 percent in 2025, while nearly one-third of the country’s farmers are now using solar-powered tube wells.

It added that one-third of farmers use solar systems on their tube-wells, and demand for electricity in the country is not increasing.

APTMA pointed out that basic mistakes in the ISP plan and the increase in grid demand are shown artificially.

According to the association, capacity payments had already surged to Rs 6 trillion, placing an unbearable financial burden on the power sector and consumers.

The association argued that the ISP failed to deliver on its promise of making electricity affordable, instead perpetuating inefficiencies that are crippling Pakistan’s industrial competitiveness.

Despite this reality, the ISP projects an additional 20,000 megawatts of generation capacity over the coming decade, a figure APTMA described as baseless and misleading.

 APTMA added that the ISP ignored the rapidly growing share of alternative energy sources, such as solar, captive power, and other decentralized systems, in meeting national energy needs.

By deliberately overlooking these dynamics, APTMA alleged, the plan painted an exaggerated picture of future demand, potentially locking Pakistan into costly capacity payments for power that may never be utilized.

Calling for urgent intervention, APTMA urged NEPRA not to approve the ISP 2025–2035 in its current form.

The association stressed that only a realistic assessment of electricity demand, coupled with reforms to rationalize capacity charges, could ensure affordable and sustainable energy for Pakistan’s industries and consumers.