Kuwait experienced temperatures peaking at 51 degrees Celsius on June 23 2026 according to the Meteorological Department as the Ministry of Electricity Water and Renewable Energy reported a temporary power outage in Block One of Adailiya caused by a technical malfunction in two 11-kilovolt sub-feeders strained by extreme heat and high demand. The ministry said emergency teams responded immediately and restored electricity within a short time. Officials noted that such conditions frequently test the limits of the power grid during the peak summer period.
The Ministry of Electricity Water and Renewable Energy attributed the Adailiya outage directly to overload from soaring temperatures that increase air-conditioning use across the country. Previous ministry figures show peak electricity consumption has surpassed 14700 megawatts during comparable heatwaves in recent years with loads reaching 14778 megawatts in one documented instance. The International Energy Agency data places Kuwait among the highest per-capita electricity consumers worldwide a trend exacerbated by prolonged summer extremes that the Meteorological Department has tracked since early June.
The Central Agency for Public Tenders announced on the same day that it had opened bids from eight companies for a maintenance contract covering alarm and fire-suppression systems at the Subiya power generation plant. This tender forms part of routine summer preparations to safeguard major generation facilities against heightened operational stress. Agency procedures require evaluation of the submitted offers before awarding the contract aimed at sustaining reliable output during sustained high temperatures.
The Public Authority for Manpower published a list of exempted activities permitted during the midday work ban that remains in force throughout the heatwave. Exemptions cover emergency repairs at vital facilities road-safety projects and essential maintenance operations according to the authority’s updated circular. Employers must still provide shaded rest areas and hydration for permitted workers while complying with all other occupational safety rules issued by the authority.
The Meteorological Department forecast very hot conditions to persist with relatively humid air along coastal zones and winds ranging from 15 to 50 kilometers per hour from northwesterly to southeasterly directions. A chance of rising dust was noted over open areas while minimum temperatures were expected to settle around 37 degrees Celsius overnight. The department’s bulletin issued at 0600 local time on June 23 underscored the importance of heeding heat advisories during this phase of the summer season that began intensifying in early June.
Kuwait’s power infrastructure has faced repeated strain during extreme heat events with the Ministry of Electricity Water and Renewable Energy documenting multiple similar localized outages in prior summers linked to feeder malfunctions. The Subiya plant maintenance bid reflects a broader program to upgrade protective systems at key facilities as overall demand continues to climb. These coordinated steps by the ministry the tenders agency and the manpower authority seek to maintain service continuity while protecting both infrastructure and the workforce.
