Kuwait moves to secure power supply as Al-Zour North deal with ACWA power nears signing

• Kuwait is poised to take a decisive step toward strengthening its electricity infrastructure as authorities prepare to sign a long-awaited power purchase agreement for the Al-Zour North Power Plant expansion, reinforcing long-term energy security through public-private partnership.

Kuwait’s Public-Private Partnership Projects Authority, in coordination with the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy, is finalizing preparations to sign the power purchase agreement (PPA) for the Al-Zour North Power Plant project (phases two and three) with the winning investor, ACWA Power, next Monday, January 12, reports Al-Rai daily.

According to an informed source, all procedural and technical requirements linked to the agreement are nearing completion, paving the way for an official signing ceremony to formalize the deal. The agreement represents a critical milestone in Kuwait’s strategy to expand electricity generation capacity through partnerships with the private sector, reports Al-Rai daily.

The source explained that the Gulf Energy and Water Alliance Company was previously established to implement the Al-Zour North project. The company was launched with a capital of 197 million dinars, reflecting the scale and strategic importance of the venture.

Ownership of the company has been structured to ensure broad participation, with shares allocated among the Kuwaiti government, private investors, and Kuwaiti citizens, reinforcing the public-private partnership model while enabling citizen participation in a major national infrastructure project.

The Al-Zour North expansion is designed to support Kuwait’s growing electricity and water demand, particularly during peak summer periods, and is expected to play a central role in stabilizing supply while improving operational efficiency in the power sector.

In a related development, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy, Dr. Adel Al-Zamil, has issued a decision regulating shift-based work systems for ministry employees.

Under the new directive, the shift system will be applied across all organizational units operating on shift schedules, based on an 8-hour working day for three consecutive days, followed by one day of rest.

The decision includes an exception for organizational units that have obtained prior approval from the Civil Service Bureau, allowing flexibility where operational requirements necessitate alternative arrangements.

Together, the imminent signing of the Al-Zour North agreement and the restructuring of workforce shifts underscore the government’s broader efforts to modernize the energy sector, enhance service reliability, and ensure operational readiness as Kuwait advances its long-term infrastructure and development goals.