KUWAIT CITY, Oct 12: The Central Agency for Public Tenders (CAPT) has approved the request of the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy to directly sign a contract with the Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority (GCCIA) for the establishment of two overhead power lines from the new Wafra station to Sabah Al-Ahmad stations Z3 and Z4 at a total cost of $81.9 million. According to reliable sources from the ministry, the project is for transferring current from the new Wafra station, which is expected to be completed by December next year, to the aforementioned Sabah Al-Ahmad stations, stressing this will be beneficial to the ministry. Sources said the Gulf electricity grid will be connected to Iraq through the Wafra station, which links the Saudi and Kuwaiti electrical systems. Sources confirmed that the operation of Wafra station will increase the electrical capacity of the Gulf interconnection network from 1,000 megawatts to 2,500 megawatts, indicating this will contribute to the Kuwaiti network to address part of the expected power shortage next summer.

In a relevant development, sources disclosed that CAPT accepted 11 bids and rejected one under Article 45 of the Public Tenders Law. The tender is for the supply and operation of the photovoltaic cell system on car shades in the main workshops and the emergency services department affiliated with the ministry in Subhan, sources added. Sources said that during its meeting on Oct 7, CAPT opened the bidding envelopes to refer them to the ministry for review and to prepare a technical recommendation for them, after which the best financial and technical bid will be chosen. Sources revealed the highest bid was KD4.727 million, while the lowest was KD2.229 million. Sources confirmed this tender is one of the ministry’s renewable energy projects, in compliance with the royal directive on introducing renewable energy technology -- 15 percent of the total energy produced by 2030. Sources said the project will produce about 7,000 kilowatts to supply electricity to the ministry’s buildings and facilities through renewable energy; instead of traditional energy produced by using fossil fuels that cost the State millions.

They disclosed the project will also enable Kuwait to reach carbon neutrality in 2060 in line with the global trend towards shifting to clean energy sources and zero emissions. On the other hand, the ministry announced Saturday that various areas in the six governorates will experience power disruptions until Oct 19 due to the maintenance of a few secondary transformer stations. It added that maintenance works are being carried out in 19 areas as follows: Jaber Al-Ahmad, Farwaniya, Bneid Al-Gar, Zahra, Salwa, Mubarak Al-Kabeer, Taima, Hadiya, Fahad Al-Ahmad, Dhaher, Qurtobah, Salmiya, Andalus, Ardiya Residential Area, Faiha, Surra, East Taima, Mansouriya and Kaifan

By Mohammad Ghanem
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff