Sources added the ministry is keen on providing the necessary productivity and is counting on rationalizing consumption this summer. Consequently, Minister of Electricity, Water, and Renewable Energy Dr. Subaih Al-Mukhaizeem issued a ministerial decision to form a committee that will focus on rationalizing electricity and water consumption. According to the decision, the committee will be chaired by the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Electricity Dr. Adel Al-Zamil. Members of the committee will include specialists from the Ministry of Electricity, Water, and Renewable Energy, and representatives from the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Information, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, and the Kuwait Industries Union. The committee’s duties include:

Developing a comprehensive system of awareness programs that highlight the importance of rationalizing electricity and water consumption, and its direct impact on preserving public funds and the environment. These programs will be presented in various media outlets and social media platforms.

Raising community awareness on the need to adopt energy efficient systems and water conservation technologies in private, investment, and commercial residential buildings, factories, agricultural holdings, and public institutions.

Organizing workshops and lectures in public benefit associations, universities, and schools to raise awareness about the importance of rationalizing electricity and water consumption.

Collaborating with the private sector and scientific and research institutions in the country, such as Kuwait University, the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences, the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, and the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, to implement joint projects, including the use of renewable energy technologies on building roofs and improving cooling (air conditioning) systems.

In addition, the ministry announced that the committee will hold its first meeting in the coming days to set priorities. It affirmed the importance of coordinated efforts to achieve the set goals. The Ministry of Electricity and Water has strengthened its production capacity by adding three new units. The return of a production unit at the Al-Zour South Power Plant to service helped prevent scheduled power outages in three residential areas. As a result, the ministry only had to cut power to four industrial areas and three agricultural areas yesterday, while residential areas remained unaffected.

According to informed sources, the ministry’s successful restart of a production unit at Al-Zour South Power Plant ensured that power outages in three residential areas were avoided. This was in line with the ministry’s earlier announcement that power cuts might be necessary in Hawally, Mubarak Al-Kabeer, and Sabah Al-Ahmad due to increased electrical loads.

However, the ministry managed to limit outages to just seven industrial and agricultural areas. The sources said, “The quick return of the Al-Zour South Power Plant to service played a major role in increasing production capacity. As a result, the ministry was able to avoid cutting power to the residential areas previously mentioned in its statement. The addition of three new units to the grid on Tuesday, following the completion of maintenance work, will enhance the ministry’s production capacity compared to consumption rates. This move also supports the Gulf network, which receives 740 megawatts of power.”

In a statement, the Ministry of Electricity, Water, and Renewable Energy said the scheduled power outages in certain areas were necessary due to ongoing maintenance of some power generation units, in preparation for full operation during the summer. It stated, “The scheduled power outages in seven industrial and agricultural areas are necessary to maintain the stability of the country’s electricity system. Power will be restored to these areas once the electricity grid stabilizes.” It is worth mentioning that the ministry resorted to cutting power to industrial areas - Shuwaikh Industrial, Al-Rai, Subhan, and Mina Abdullah - as well as agricultural areas - Wafra, Abdali, and Rawdatain - on Monday after the electrical load indicator reached the 11,000-megawatt mark. In another development, the ministry announced Monday that it has started receiving water connection requests for plots 2, 4 and 6 in South Abdullah Al-Mubarak City; which consists of 1,788 plots. The residents in these plots can submit a request for water connection through the website of the ministry and Sahel application.

By Mohammad Ghanem
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff and Agencies