Rising midday temperatures pushed Kuwait’s electricity load index to its limits on Wednesday, prompting the Ministry of Electricity to implement scheduled two-hour power outages across 53 areas. The red zone alert was triggered at 3:00 p.m., with consumption peaking at 12,400 megawatts — nearing full capacity.
The ministry confirmed that the outages will affect 45 residential areas, five industrial zones, and three agricultural sectors. According to officials, Wednesday’s consumption levels were approximately 6,200 megawatts below the nation’s total generation capacity of 18,600 megawatts. However, key generation units remain offline for maintenance under contracts with specialized firms.
The Power Plants Sector is working intensively to complete these maintenance operations and reintegrate the offline capacity into the national grid. This move is intended to ease the pressure and avoid further power cuts.
To bridge the gap in supply, the ministry has begun importing 600 megawatts of electricity from the Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority (GCCIA). This import volume is expected to rise to 1,000 megawatts per month starting in June, continuing through the end of the summer peak.
The Ministry of Electricity urged citizens and expatriates to adopt energy-saving practices, especially during peak hours, with a focus on limiting air conditioner use, which significantly contributes to high electricity demand.
Meanwhile, the Kuwait Fire Force (KFF) issued a public safety advisory warning residents to avoid using elevators during the scheduled outages. Brigadier General Mohammad Al-Gharib, Director of the Public Relations and Media Department at KFF, stressed the importance of remaining calm during any elevator malfunctions or power interruptions. He advised residents to press the emergency alarm button or call the emergency number 112 if trapped, and warned against attempting to force open elevator doors, as this could lead to serious injury. In such cases, individuals should wait calmly for assistance.
