With such performance, we overcome crises
Since Minister Dr. Sabih Al-Makhzoum first stepped into the corridors of the Ministry of Electricity, Water, and Renewable Energy last summer, it was evident that he arrived with unwavering resolve and an indomitable will, refusing to yield to the complexities of reality. He exerted exhausting efforts, driven by the sense of responsibility of an official who fully grasps the weight of his trust and the magnitude of the challenge. The result was that Kuwait endured a summer that many feared would be arduous, marked by the recurrence of planned power outages that citizens had suffered through in previous years.
This year’s summer was far from ordinary. It saw the convergence of extreme heat, soaring electricity demand, and exceptional circumstances imposed by Iranian attacks targeting several of the country’s vital national facilities. Amid these challenges, Minister Al-Makhzoum’s performance stood out, surpassing his own previous benchmarks and overcoming these adversities. Alongside Deputy Minister Dr. Adel Al-Zamil, Assistant Deputy Ministers, department directors, and working teams, he demonstrated that when determination is coupled with relentless effort, it can make a decisive difference and enable rapid response to emergencies.
True success lay not in the absence of challenges, but in the ability to contain them. From the outset of preparations for this summer’s season, the Ministry rolled up its sleeves, working to enhance grid readiness and emergency team capabilities, monitor performance indicators, and strengthen preventive maintenance efforts. These measures helped alleviate pressure on the system and spared the country from resorting to planned power outages once again.
When some power stations were targeted by the reprehensible Iranian attacks, the morale of the Ministry’s staff did not waver, nor did operations halt. Emergency plans were immediately activated, and damages were addressed according to precise operational and technical procedures, with continuous 24/7 monitoring and efforts to restore affected units to service as quickly as possible.
Moreover, the Ministry is also credited with successfully developing the performance of its emergency teams, raising the level of field readiness, and enhancing response speed and handling of reports, reflecting the system’s efficiency and capacity to confront exceptional circumstances.
Thus, what has been achieved should not be viewed as mere routine performance, but rather as the result of an administrative and technical approach based on preparedness, swift decision-making, field operations, inter-agency coordination, and calm, mature, and highly responsible crisis management.
Under the most difficult conditions, the Ministry of Electricity and Water proved that the stability of national services requires management that knows how to prepare for a crisis before it occurs and how to handle it when it does. The summer passed with its challenges, the current flowed uninterrupted, and services continued without cessation, resulting in a testament to the success of the Ministry’s and its employees’ efforts.
Al-Makhzoum exemplifies the principle of “the right man in the right place.” In just over a year since his appointment at the Ministry, his activity, diligence, and meticulous attention to every detail have instilled confidence in citizens and residents that the “electricity sector” is guided by a calm mind, firm will, continuous activity, and boundless dedication.
