KUWAIT CITY, March 23: Power consumption is expected to increase by nine percent this summer, compared to last year’s 10,820 megawatts, reports Al-Anba daily quoting Assistant Undersecretary for Planning and Training Sector at the Ministry of Electricity and Water Dr Misha’an Al-Otaibi.

Al-Otaibi made the statement recently on the sidelines of the second Electricity Conference and Exhibition in Kuwait. He also unveiled the ministry’s plan to use solar energy and other natural resources to generate electricity. He said the government has allocated a budget of KD 2 billion in its development plan to increase the production of electricity and enhance the power network. He added these projects will be implemented in the next three years.

Affirming the ministry’s interest in a partnership with the private sector to build power plans, Al-Otaibi cited assigning the construction of North Zour power station to a private company as an example of this partnership. He hopes the projects will provide sufficient power reserve to cover the needs of the country.
Meanwhile, minister of Electricity and Water Dr Badr Shuraiaan on Tuesday stressed the need to involve the private sector in projects to build new plants because it represents an important pillar in the success of the Millennium Development Goals in the country.

The minister said in a speech delivered on his behalf by Assistant Undersecretary for Training and Planning Al-Otaibi in the opening of the second electricity conference and Exhibition that the State of Kuwait has the highest rate of consumption of electricity, especially in the summer, adding that Kuwait ought to benefit from the abundance of oil wealth in the establishment of major projects to build power stations and the development of modern technology in the service of the country to suit the surrounding climatic conditions.

He added that the consumption of electricity in the State of Kuwait has increased rapidly during the past years with an annual growth rate exceeding eight percent due to the expansion of major projects and building of new cities within the ambitious development plan taking place in the country.