From Gas to Electricity: Rethinking Hot Water in Pakistan

Pakistan has nearly 38 million households but only 16 million have a gas connection. At the same time, electricity access now covers 84% of homes, grid capacity is underutilized in winter, and rooftop solar is spreading rapidly. Yet hot water in Pakistan still depends largely on gas — a resource that is becoming scarcer, more expensive, and fiscally unsustainable. In this episode of Unlocking Growth, we unpack what this shift means — and why electric geysers could become a major import-substitution and manufacturing opportunity for Pakistan: •⁠ ⁠Why gas availability is shrinking — and tariffs are rising •⁠ ⁠How excess winter electricity and solar are changing household economics •⁠ ⁠The global electric geyser market ($31.8B → $49.9B) and Pakistan’s small local base •⁠ ⁠Why electric geysers are cheaper, faster, and far more energy-efficient than gas •⁠ ⁠Pakistan’s current import dependence (67%) and local manufacturing gap •⁠ ⁠Cost comparisons: gas vs electric geysers — capex, efficiency, and heating time •⁠ ⁠Local brands, component localization, and why scale hasn’t arrived yet •⁠ ⁠Manufacturing unit economics: assembly, hybrid, and premium automated setups •⁠ ⁠CAPEX ranges, margins, OPEX breakdown, and realistic ROI timelines •⁠ ⁠Who is best positioned to enter — manufacturers, brands, and importers This episode looks beyond appliances — and explains how energy policy, solar adoption, and manufacturing economics are converging to unlock a real opportunity. If you’re exploring electric geyser manufacturing or import substitution as a serious business, we’ve created paid, in-depth resources: 📊 Download the detailed slide deck (manufacturing models, CAPEX tiers, margins, localization roadmap) 👉 Download: https://pakistanandcounting.com/resou... 🎓 Sign up for our webinar to hear directly from industry experts and operators, with live Q&A 👉 Sign-up: https://pakistanandcounting.com/events/ These resources are paid and designed to offer deeper, more practical guidance for anyone exploring the business seriously. This episode is supported by Engro Holdings, Pakistan’s leading investment holding company, with investments across food & agriculture, energy, gas infrastructure, petrochemicals, and digital platforms — focused on scalable solutions to large-scale national challenges. Timestamps 00:00 — Pakistan’s energy paradox: electricity vs gas access 00:45 — Global electric geyser market overview 01:18 — Why electrification and renewables are driving demand 01:35 — Pakistan’s market size & import dependence 01:57 — Why this is becoming a real opportunity 02:17 — Gas subsidies, depletion & policy failures 02:54 — IMF reforms and 150% gas tariff hikes 03:22 — Winter electricity incentives explained 03:49 — Solar adoption and off-grid households 04:17 — Gas vs electric geysers: price comparison 04:47 — Efficiency, heating time & energy use 05:27 — Why demand is rising — and supply is responding 06:17 — Local brands and current market players 06:34 — Import dependence & awareness gaps 08:03 — Manufacturing models overview 08:47 — Assembly-based setup economics 09:00 — Mid-scale hybrid manufacturing 09:27 — Premium automated plants & margins 10:08 — ROI timelines & cost structure 10:22 — What’s unlocking the opportunity now 11:11 — Who should enter this market 12:02 — Why demand will only grow 12:24 — Resources & webinar Follow Pakistan & Counting on: X: https://x.com/PakAndCounting FB:   / pakistanandcounting   IG:   / pakistanandcounting   Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@pakistanandco... LI:   / pakistan-and-counting