Development Fund: KD 200,000 for Study on Connecting the Gulf Grid to External Power Networks
The fund stated in a statement on Thursday that Ahmed Al-Ibrahim, the Chief Executive Officer of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Interconnection Authority, signed the agreement on behalf of the authority, while Rashid Al-Badr, the Acting Managing Director, signed it on behalf of the fund.
The study aims to explore opportunities to expand the Gulf interconnection network to include electricity grids in neighboring countries, thereby contributing to enhancing the exchange of electricity and supporting regional cooperation in the energy sector. This will be achieved by studying the electricity needs of neighboring countries and assessing the technical and economic feasibility of interconnecting with them.
The study also includes preparing an operational study for the Gulf system in conjunction with the national grids of neighboring countries, as well as a preliminary environmental and social impact assessment of the project, along with identifying appropriate measures to mitigate any potential negative impacts.
In line with the fund’s support for electricity interconnection projects and the enhancement of energy security in the region, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development has previously provided three loans to the Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority to help finance the project to strengthen the Gulf interconnection system and connect it to the southern Iraq grid, with a total value of 78 million dinars.
Among the key components of these projects is the Al-Wafra Power Station in Kuwait, which represents one of the main elements of the Gulf interconnection system. It holds particular importance due to its role in supporting the reliability of Kuwait’s electricity grid and enhancing its capacity to handle high loads, by enabling the exchange of electricity and utilizing available surpluses from countries within the interconnection system.
The station also contributes to supporting the security and stability of electricity supplies in Kuwait, providing greater flexibility in dealing with emergencies and future needs, which positively impacts the sustainability of the country’s energy sector.
