Electricity Minister: Kuwait's power grid sees 70 MW drop in summer 2026 peak demand despite exceptional circumstances

Kuwait City, 15 September (KUNA) -- Kuwait’s Minister of Electricity, Water, and Renewable Energy, Dr. Subaih Al-Makhzoum, confirmed that the country’s power system concluded the summer of 2026 with a peak electricity load of 17,540 megawatts, a decrease of 70 megawatts compared to summer 2025. This marks the second consecutive year of declining peak load.

In a press statement issued on Tuesday, Al-Makhzoum noted that this trend follows a shift that began in summer 2025, when peak load fell to 17,610 megawatts for the first time compared to 2024, when it stood at 17,640 megawatts. He described this as a positive indicator of improved consumption efficiency, despite ongoing urban, demographic, and economic expansion and the addition of new electrical loads to the grid.

Al-Makhzoum added that new loads connected due to the electrification of new facilities amounted to 1,059 megawatts between summer 2024 and summer 2025, and 1,019 megawatts between summer 2025 and summer 2026, totaling 2,078 megawatts over the two-year period. He emphasized that despite these additions, peak load in summer 2026 remained lower than levels recorded in summers 2024 and 2025, underscoring the impact of efforts to enhance energy efficiency and improve consumption patterns, particularly during peak hours.

The minister stated that measures taken to manage electrical loads during the summer season directly contributed to alleviating pressure on the power system, especially during peak periods. These measures included reducing working hours in government entities by one hour and suspending operations in factories during peak hours.

He also highlighted the national campaign for conserving energy and water, “Wafar” (Save), and its media and awareness efforts to promote a culture of conservation and reduce consumption. Al-Makhzoum commended the cooperation of citizens, residents, government and private entities, and the media, which supported load management.

The “Wafar” campaign directly contributed to service continuity by encouraging public engagement with conservation messages and reducing unnecessary consumption during peak hours, thereby easing pressure on the grid during the most challenging periods. The campaign reinforced a culture of responsible electricity and water use and solidified the concept of shared responsibility in preserving national resources.

Al-Makhzoum noted that these measures effectively reduced electricity demand during peak hours, supporting service continuity and the grid’s capacity to meet the country’s needs during high-consumption periods.

He pointed out that the summer of 2026 occurred under exceptionally difficult circumstances due to regional developments and malicious Iranian attacks on parts of the power system, which targeted several electricity generation and water desalination plants, fuel storage tanks, and overhead power lines. These incidents forced some generation units and system components out of service and affected certain production and operational capacities.

The repercussions also extended to routine and preventive maintenance programs, preventing some scheduled works from being carried out on time. Maintenance on several units was delayed and gradually completed by the end of August.

“Despite these unusual operational conditions and the resulting technical damage, unit outages, and disruptions to maintenance schedules, the Ministry’s teams and technical staff worked around the clock to repair damages, restore affected units and facilities to service, and maintain system readiness. This enabled the Ministry to ensure service continuity and meet the country’s needs throughout the summer season,” Al-Makhzoum said.

He stressed that the results of summer 2026 confirm that conservation is no longer merely an awareness issue but has become a key component complementing the state’s plans to enhance the security and sustainability of the electricity and water systems. He added that sustaining these results requires integrated efforts among state institutions, the private sector, and individuals, as well as the institutionalization of prudent practices throughout the year.

Al-Makhzoum affirmed the Ministry’s continued implementation of strategic projects aimed at increasing electricity and water production capacities, developing transmission and distribution networks, and expanding renewable energy projects to keep pace with the country’s future needs and urban, demographic, and economic growth. (End) F.R. / M.K.