Kuwait in the grip of scorching heat as mercury reaches 50°C

The Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy in Kuwait has urged its citizens to reduce electricity and water consumption as the country experiences extreme heat and rising power demand.

The ministry stressed that conserving electricity during extreme heat would help stabilize the national power grid and ensure the continuity of service for everyone.

It advised people to set air conditioners to 24 degrees centigrade or higher in unused rooms, switch off lights and electrical appliances when not in use, and avoid using high-energy devices during peak hours from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.

The appeal came as the Meteorological Department of Kuwait has forecast daytime temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.

According to the weather forecast department, moderate to strong northwesterly winds of 20 to 60km/h were expected to cause dust in some areas, while night-time temperatures were forecast to remain hot, with a minimum of 34C.

Separately, the ministry said technical faults caused two subfeeders at separate main substations to go out of service, leading to temporary power outages in the Hawally (G) and Al-Siddiq (D) areas. Emergency teams restored electricity after carrying out repair work.

Meanwhile, the ministry said it had received approval from the State Audit Bureau to sign a KD1.994m contract to supply, install and operate a battery and charger testing laboratory and workshop.

The project aims to establish and equip a specialized laboratory and workshop for testing batteries and circuit breakers, thereby, raising the efficiency of testing operations and improving the reliability and operational safety of electrical equipment and systems.

It also supports preventative maintenance plans, reduces downtime, and improves service quality.