Kuwait’s summer power peak drops to 17,540 MW despite rising demand
Power grid holds steady despite regional attacks and 2,078 MW added loads
Kuwait’s peak electricity demand fell for the second consecutive summer, reaching 17,540 megawatts in 2026, down 70 megawatts from 17,610 megawatts in 2025, despite the addition of 2,078 megawatts in new electrical loads over the past two years.
Minister of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy Dr Subaih Al-Mukhaizeem said the decline reflected improved energy efficiency and changing consumption patterns despite continued urban, population and economic growth. The summer 2026 peak was also below the 17,640 megawatts recorded in 2024, marking a continuing downward trend in maximum electricity demand.
Al-Mukhaizeem said the reduction was achieved despite the addition of about 1,059 megawatts of new loads between summer 2024 and summer 2025, followed by another 1,019 megawatts between summer 2025 and summer 2026.
He attributed the improvement partly to measures introduced to manage peak demand, including reducing working hours in government agencies by one hour, suspending factory operations during peak periods and expanding the national “Save” campaign to encourage more efficient electricity and water consumption.
The minister said these measures helped ease pressure on the electricity network, particularly during the most demanding periods of the summer.
Grid weathered regional disruption
Al-Mukhaizeem said the ministry also maintained electricity services despite exceptional operating conditions caused by regional developments and Iranian attacks that damaged parts of Kuwait’s electricity infrastructure. The attacks affected power generation and water desalination facilities, fuel storage tanks and overhead transmission lines, resulting in the temporary loss of several generation units and other system components.
They also disrupted scheduled preventive and periodic maintenance programs. However, ministry technical teams worked around the clock to repair damaged facilities, restore affected units and maintain system readiness, he said. Maintenance work on several units was gradually completed through the end of August.
Conservation becomes key to energy security
Al-Mukhaizeem said the results of summer 2026 demonstrated that electricity conservation had moved beyond being simply an awareness issue and had become an important component of Kuwait’s plans to strengthen the security and sustainability of the electricity and water sectors.
He stressed that maintaining the downward trend in peak demand would require continued cooperation among government institutions, the private sector, citizens and residents, with responsible consumption practices maintained throughout the year.
He credited the “Save” campaign with helping stabilize electricity and water services through public awareness initiatives, partnerships with government and private entities, lectures and programs targeting different segments of society.
Strategic projects nearing implementation
The ministry is continuing work on strategic projects designed to increase electricity generation and water production capacity, upgrade transmission and distribution networks and expand renewable energy projects, Al-Mukhaizeem said.
Several major projects have reached their final stages with the Public-Private Partnership Projects Authority and are being prepared for implementation, he added. The minister also announced that the period of reduced factory production lines, introduced on May 14 to ease pressure on the electricity grid, has ended.
Factories have now returned to full production capacity, while the ministry is intensifying preparations for the new school year to ensure stable electricity supplies to schools and other educational facilities.
Al-Mukhaizeem praised ministry employees and national technical teams working at power stations, monitoring and control centers and emergency facilities for maintaining services under difficult operating conditions.
He also thanked citizens, residents, government agencies and private-sector companies for cooperating with conservation measures, stressing that protecting Kuwait’s resources and ensuring their long-term sustainability is a shared national responsibility.
