Kuwait’s power system will face another difficult year in 2026 as the structural challenges that have bedeviled it over the past decade remain largely unaddressed. The Ministry of Electricity and Water’s (MEWRE) power generation fleet is aging, and with no major capacity additions since 2016, rising demand is taking its toll. Kuwait has been experiencing blackouts for the last two summers and 2026 is unlikely to be any different. And with no sizeable capacity planned for next year, this is set to continue.
Despite power demand continuing to increase this year, electricity generation is actually on course to decline by roughly 2% to around 87.7TWh (see chart 1). Net supplies to the grid will also drop to a three-year low of around 78.7TWh. This shows just how much Kuwait’s power sector is struggling to meet the demand challenge and a turnaround will be no easy feat. Older plants require more frequent maintenance and over time can become less efficient. This situation is exacerbated by the need to run plants at high capacity in order to meet demand, increasing the risk of malfunctions. (CONTINUED - 763 WORDS)
