An apparatus and method of driving a plasma display panel for reducing power consumption is disclosed. In the apparatus, a sub-field mapping unit maps a data inputted from the exterior thereof onto a sub-field pattern stored in advance. An APL calculator calculates an APL corresponding to said data inputted from the exterior and generating an information about the number of sustaining pulses corresponding to the calculated APL. A load detector receives the mapped data from the sub-field mapping unit to generate a control signal in response to whether or not a data for each sub-field is supplied. A waveform generator controls a sustaining pulse applied to a panel in response to said information about the number of sustaining pulses and said control signal.