Kuwait announces power cuts in 51 areas as temperatures near 50°C

Dubai: With temperatures soaring close to 50 degrees Celsius and power demand hitting record highs, Kuwait has begun rolling out scheduled electricity cuts across 51 areas in an urgent bid to stabilize its energy grid, the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy announced Wednesday.

The Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy announced the implementation of planned power cuts in 51 areas, including residential, industrial, and agricultural zones after the country’s power consumption index surged into the red zone, reaching 16,393 megawatts on Wednesday morning.

 This represented a sharp increase from Tuesday’s 16,030 megawatts, as thermometers across the country hovered around a blistering 50 degrees Celsius.

The decision introduces what may become a regular feature of Kuwaiti summers, with soaring temperatures and aging infrastructure combining to create volatile energy demand.

“These outages are necessary to maintain the stability of the electrical system during periods of peak consumption,” the ministry said in a statement.

 The affected areas include three agricultural zones, Wafra, Rawdatain, and Abdally farms, and five industrial zones: Mina Abdullah, Subhan, Sulaibiya, Al Rai, and Shuwaikh. Additionally, power cuts will impact 43 residential areas, including Salam, Abu Futaira, Jleeb Al Shuyoukh, Jaber Al Ahmad, Rawda, Salmiya, Ras Al Ardh, Al Shaab Al Bahri, Maidan Hawally, Jaber Al Ali, Andalusia, West Abdullah Al Mubarak, Sulaibiya Industrial Area, part of Sulaibiya Residential Area, Faihaa, Firdous, Al Dhaher, Al Naseem, Al Daiya, Al Jazeera Al Khadraa, Abdullah Al Salem, Sabah Al Nasser, Shuhada, Abdullah Al Mubarak, Egaila, Fintas, the coastal strip from Abu Halifa Roundabout, Al Masayel, Saad Al Abdullah, Hittin, Ardiya, Funaitees, Al Qasr, Hadiya, Shuwaikh, Shamiya, Jaber Al Ali, Surra, Mahboula, Farwaniya, Al Raqga, part of Al Rai, and Northwest Sulaibikhat.

Power outages in these locations will vary in duration and will be rotated as needed, the ministry said. A complete list of the affected areas and schedules has been published on its official website.

The decision comes as a response to the extreme heatwave and also due to ongoing maintenance at several of Kuwait’s power plants. According to ministry sources, key production units are currently being upgraded and serviced, which has reduced the overall capacity of the electrical grid.

The ministry urged residents to limit energy consumption during peak hours, typically between 11am and 5pm, and to follow updates through official channels.

Kuwait, one of the world’s hottest countries and a top oil exporter, has long subsidized electricity, with citizens paying some of the lowest rates globally. But in recent years, rising summer demands have exposed growing vulnerabilities in its energy infrastructure, exacerbated by delays in renewable energy initiatives and increased urban development.

 -- Huda Ata is an independent writer based in the UAE