LAHORE, March 28: The Water and Power Development Authority on Wednesday started loadshedding throughout the country. Though the main brunt will be borne by rural areas, yet cities like Faisalabad and Gujranwala are also facing loadshedding.

According to sources in Wapda, both cities on Wednesday faced loadshedding of 170mw.

According to them, the total demand on Wednesday stood at 11,000mw against a supply of 10,300mw.

The situation can worsen in the next few days if temperature keeps on rising and the Indus River System Authority does not increase water releases.

Though both dams currently hold around four million acre feet (MAF) water, but Irsa has not been releasing water severely containing hydel generation in the country.

On Wednesday, the hydel contribution was only 4,100mw against installed capacity of 6,600mw.

The authority is also contributing 640mw to the Karachi Electricity Supply Company, which is also putting pressure on demand, they said.

The cumulative effect of rising temperature, decreasing water releases and supply to the KESC is causing trouble for the authority.