Turn off lights, AC in unused areas, gov’t sector told

31/05/2026

Turn off lights, AC in unused areas, gov’t sector told

KUWAIT CITY, May 31: The State budget report for fiscal 2026/2027 revealed an allocation of KD173.2 million for electricity and water for 36 ministries and government entities, an increase of KD39.726 million compared to KD133.476 million in the 2025/2026 budget. The newspaper obtained a copy of the report, stating that the approved expenditures for electricity reached KD139.498 million and KD33.702 million for water. Electricity and water fees for the government sector are the highest compared to residential sectors.

The electricity fee for the government sector is 25 fils per kilowatt-hour, while the price of 1,000 imperial gallons of water for the sector is KD4 – a huge difference compared to 750 fils for the industrial and agricultural sectors. On the other hand, the ministry intends to construct 23 service buildings (administrative and technical) in various areas to de-centralize service delivery and make services more accessible to citizens and residents, particularly emergency services, power connections, debt payments and others. These buildings will also provide a suitable environment for the employees and visitors.

The ministry included these buildings in its current annual plan, which will be tendered through the Central Agency for Public Tenders (CAPT), in accordance with the regulations and laws. The other buildings will be tendered in future fiscal years. Among the important buildings are six green buildings to serve customers in all governorates, a workshop for producing solar panels and water analysis laboratories in Shuwaikh, in addition to several service buildings in new areas like Saad Al-Abdullah and Sabah Al-Ahmad. In another development, sources from the ministry unveiled its plan to send letters to other ministries and government agencies in the coming days, urging them to adopt responsible and conscious consumption practices in order to alleviate pressure on the electrical grid, especially after official working hours when government buildings are empty.

By Mohammad Ghanem Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff