Kuwait vows legal action against power overuse

Unusual spike seen in household consumption of electricity raises doubts

Last updated: April 28, 2025 | 06:08

2 MIN READ

Cars drive past Kuwait's main governmental electricity control tower. Authorities have launched a large-scale campaign in the Al Wafra residential area, part of Al Ahmadi governorate, where nearly 100 houses were found to have very high consumption rates of electricity that differ from the usual residential consumption pattern, a sign of electricity possibly being used for unauthorized activities, including suspected mining of cryptocracy, the official added.

AFP file

Cairo: Kuwait will take legal action against excessive consumption of electricity as the country is bracing for the sweltering summer months when energy use usually surges.

The Kuwaiti Ministry of electricity has recently observed an" unusual increase" in electrical loads in several areas, raising suspicions about unlawful practices, according to the ministry's spokesperson Fatima Hayat.

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The ministry "will not hesitate to take legal action against any entity or individual proven to be involved in excessive electricity consumption through unlicensed activities that affect the stability of the country's electrical system," she said in media remarks.

Authorities have launched a large-scale campaign in the Al Wafra residential area, part of Al Ahmadi governorate, where nearly 100 houses were found to have very high consumption rates of electricity that differ from the usual residential consumption pattern, a sign of electricity possibly being used for unauthorized activities, including suspected mining of cryptocracy, the official added.

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She explained that an in-depth technical analysis showed that the consumption pattern in those houses lacks the usual variation between day and night and between the seasons of the year. In other words, constantly high consumption of electricity is recorded throughout the day, an indication of intensive and non-stop operation of devices and equipment.

According to the official, the data revealed that some houses in Al Wafra recorded consumption exceeding 100,000 kilowatts, equivalent to 20 times the usual rates in neighbouring households.

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Cryptocurrency mining significantly depletes state subsidies for electricity generation in Kuwait, which total KD2 billion ($6.5 billion), newspaper Alseyassah reported, citing "well-informed" sources at the ministry.

Such mining operations are carried out by individuals in state-subsidized private housing, charged 2 fils per kilowatt, the sources pointed out.

"This illegal activity should be classified as commercial, with a price of 5 fils per kilowatt," they added, describing the unlawful practice as a theft of public funds.