KUWAIT CITY, May 20: Kuwait will witness further scorching heat during the coming days amid northwesterly winds, the Meteorology Department said on Tuesday. The acting director of the department, Dhirar Al- Ali, told KUNA that the temperature would be hot at nighttime in the coming days, adding that waves of dust would lower visibility in undeveloped regions. Kuwait is under the influence of the seasonal Indian low depression, bringing to the region hot blows that would push the heat upwards, he said, noting that recorded temperatures have fluctuated between 33 degrees minimum and 48 to 51 degrees maximum in most of Kuwait’s territories. He forecast further high heat in the coming days, with a rise of the waves at sea to more than six feet.
Meanwhile, temperatures soared to nearly 50 degrees Celsius at noon on Tuesday, causing the electricity load index to approach critical levels, reaching 15,881 megawatts. So far, this is the highest power consumption index this summer -- up from 14,850 on Monday, an increase of 1,031 megawatts. Sources from the ministry stated that such a significant rise in electricity load is a natural consequence of higher temperatures, which usually lead to increased energy consumption, particularly during the peak hours -- from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Sources pointed out that load levels remain below the total output of all power stations, which is around 18,600 megawatts. Sources affirmed that the ministry is closely monitoring load levels daily and it is coordinating with various government agencies to implement energy-saving measures during peak times. They urged citizens and expatriates to adopt energy-saving practices, such as setting air conditioners to specific temperatures and turning off lights in unoccupied areas. The ministry also reported that four sub-feeders at the main Khalidiya B transformer station were out of service, leading to power outages in some parts of Adailiya. It then confirmed that the emergency teams on-site worked hard to restore power as quickly as possible.
By Mohammad Ghanem
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff and Agencies
