Kuwait to increase power, water generation in 5years

The Minister of Electricity and Water Salem Al-Othaina highlighted the benefits of conserving power. The ministry maintained stable electricity distribution levels last week when the weather was dusty. Reportedly, there will be obstacles to energy distribution throughout the hot summer months. According to news reports, Al-Othaina was quoted as saying that the ministry is planning to expand the electricity distribution network to generate additional production capacity. This measurement is, however, planned to avoid the shortage of power every summer in a country that is one of the leading oil exporters in the world. Meshaan Al-Otaibi, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Electricity and Water for Planning and Training Affairs, explained that the ministry's decision does not correspond to power shortages in Kuwait. "We have sufficient surplus power that ranges between 600 to 700 megawatts. This means that we have sufficient power for this summer", he assured. Al-Otaibi said that the existing power capacity in Kuwait is 12,300 megawatts, and the expected load or consumption of power this summer is expected to be 11,700 megawatts. In his words, the current capacity is sufficient to meet the consumption demand in summer. Al-Otaibi explained that the ministry's plans revealed by Al-Othaina are part of a five-year plan prepared by the ministry to expand power and water generation by 50 percent. This plan includes installing new power stations and using new devices to meet new plans. The reason behind this plan, Al-Otaibi says, is to meet the consumption and the future demands of large-scale organizational projects which are going to be build in residential areas in the future. Jassim Allengawi, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) for Consumers Affairs said that implementing the consumers sector's strategic plan to collect overdue bills, various government establishments were contacted, urging them not to provide any services for consumers who had overdue unpaid power or water bills, unless they obtained a clearance from the Ministry of Electricity and Water. This will be effective until consumer culture changes and they willingly start paying bills," he stressed. Urging all consumers to pay their bills, Allengawi said that MEW bills could be paid at any of the ministry's collection centers all over Kuwait, as well as online through the ministry's website: www.mew.gov.kw to avoid power or water supply disconnection.