KUWAIT: The Ministry of Electricity, Water, and Renewable Energy implemented temporary power cuts in select agricultural and industrial areas on Wednesday, due to high electrical loads and scheduled maintenance in preparation for the summer season. Power was later restored to the affected areas. In a statement issued after the outages, the ministry reassured the public that it had coordinated with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Interconnection Authority to support Kuwait’s national grid and ensure continued stability.

The ministry had earlier warned that limited outages might occur in certain zones, particularly in agricultural areas like Al-Rawdatain, Al-Wafra, and Al-Abdali, and industrial areas including Mina Abdullah, Shuaiba, Al-Rai and Shuwaikh Industrial. The outages were time-specific, with no disruptions expected to last more than three hours. This was a precautionary measure aimed at maintaining grid stability amid rising demand. The ministry also urged the public to conserve electricity, particularly during peak hours from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.

The cuts come just a day after Minister of Electricity, Water, and Renewable Energy Dr Sabeeh Al-Mukhaizeem visited the Subiya Power and Water Distillation Plant to check on ongoing preparations for the summer season. Dr Al-Mukhaizeem expressed his gratitude to the ministry’s employees, particularly those working during the holiday period, and reassured them of the government’s commitment to ensuring service continuity. The minister also emphasized the importance of workforce training to address any challenges in Kuwait’s electricity and water sectors.

During his visit, the minister toured various sections of the plant, including the Electric Control Room and Thermal Control Room, and received briefings on the plant’s operations. With a capacity of 7,100 megawatts — accounting for about 35 percent of Kuwait’s total electricity production — and the ability to produce 100 million imperial gallons of water per day, the Subiya plant plays a critical role in supporting the nation’s energy needs, particularly during the summer months.

Last summer, Kuwait’s power grid struggled with electricity shortages when temperatures soared above 52 degrees Celsius, prompting the ministry to implement scheduled power cuts to prevent grid instability. To prevent similar issues this year, the ministry said it was working on upgrading its infrastructure. The planned upgrades are part of an ongoing effort that includes the development of the Subiya Power Plant and other major projects aimed at boosting capacity.

Last year, Kuwait saw substantial investments and progress in its efforts to expand its electricity and renewable energy capacity. Former Minister Dr Mahmoud Boushehri — who resigned last month — signed a contract for a $384 million expansion of the Subiya Power Plant, aimed at increasing the plant’s production by 250 megawatts. At the time, the ministry said it was also finalizing tenders for additional phases of power plant expansions, including the construction of the North Al-Zour and Al-Khairat stations, which are expected to add significant capacity in the coming years.

In November 2024, the former minister announced that over 17,000 megawatts of new capacity is expected to come online over the next five years, with 30 percent of that from renewable energy sources. Kuwait’s electricity demand surged to a record high of over 17,360 megawatts during the summer of 2024. On Wednesday, however, the load reached 9,813 megawatts, likely due to the temporary shutdown of some power plants for maintenance.