Kuwait: Power cuts warned in residential areas

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KUWAIT CITY: The current high temperatures in the country have disrupted the calculations of the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy, forcing it to carry out programmed power outages in parts of five residential areas - Sabah Al-Ahmad Residential, West Abdullah Al-Mubarak, Rumaithiya, Salwa, and Bidaa. According to informed sources, this measure is intended to maintain the stability of the electrical system and manage the increased demand for electricity during peak hours, which are from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm, according to the ministry’s calculations.

Meanwhile, the ministry yesterday announced that it may be forced to implement successive power cuts in certain areas due to emergency maintenance work on some electricity generation units. It has urged customers to reduce consumption, especially during the afternoon period when the electrical load indicator reached the red zone, recording 17,100 megawatts at 3:00pm on Wednesday. Informed sources from the ministry reported that the current high temperatures, coupled with the need for emergency maintenance work, have necessitated scheduled power outages at noon.

To address this issue, the ministry stressed the need for continued energy conservation across all residential sectors. It also insists on the importance of pushing forward all proposed electricity production projects and overcoming any obstacles to ensure sufficient electricity supply. This would enable Kuwait to achieve self-sufficiency and reduce reliance on energy imports from the Gulf interconnection network. The ministry’s plan includes several projects, and expediting these initiatives is necessary for meeting future energy needs.

By Mohammad Ghanem
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff