Minister of Electricity: Our power system recorded a 70-megawatt decrease in electrical load for summer 2026 despite exceptional conditions
Dr. Subaih Al-Makhzoum, Minister of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy, confirmed that Kuwait’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, marking the second consecutive year of declining peak load.
In a press statement on Tuesday, Al-Makhzoum said this indicator reflects the continuation of a trend that began in summer 2025, when peak load fell to 17,610 megawatts for the first time compared to 2024, which recorded a peak load of 17,640 megawatts. This demonstrates a positive trend in consumption efficiency, despite ongoing urban, demographic, and economic expansion and the addition of new electrical loads to the grid.
He added that new loads added due to electricity connections to new facilities reached 1,059 megawatts between summer 2024 and summer 2025, and 1,019 megawatts between summer 2025 and summer 2026, totaling 2,078 megawatts from summer 2024 to summer 2026.
He clarified that despite these additions, the 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.
Al-Makhzoum emphasized 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 factory operations during peak hours.
He noted that among the steps taken was the implementation of the national campaign for conserving energy and water, "Wafar," and its media and awareness efforts to promote a culture of conservation and reduce consumption. He praised the cooperation of citizens, residents, government and private entities, and media outlets, which contributed to supporting electrical load management.
He explained that the "Wafar" campaign directly supported service continuity through public engagement with conservation messages and the reduction of unnecessary consumption during peak hours, helping to ease pressure on the grid during the most challenging periods.
The campaign, he added, strengthened the culture of responsible electricity and water use and solidified the concept of shared responsibility in preserving the country’s resources.
Al-Makhzoum stated that these measures effectively reduced electricity demand during peak hours, thereby 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 lines.
He said these conditions led to the outage of several generation units and system components, affecting some production and operational capacities.
Al-Makhzoum added that the repercussions of these conditions also extended to routine and preventive maintenance programs, as some scheduled maintenance works could not be carried out on time. Maintenance of several units was delayed and gradually completed by the end of August.
He clarified that “despite these unusual operational conditions and the resulting technical damages, unit outages, and disruptions to maintenance schedules, the Ministry’s teams and technical staff continued working around the clock to repair the 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 during the summer season.”
Al-Muhayzimeem emphasized that the results of the 2026 summer season confirm that energy conservation has evolved from merely an awareness initiative into a key component complementing the state’s plans to enhance the security and sustainability of the electricity and water systems. He noted that sustaining these results requires integrated efforts among government institutions, the private sector, and members of society, as well as the consolidation of prudent practices throughout the year.
He reaffirmed 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, all in line with the state’s future needs and its urban, demographic, and economic growth.
