Kuwait, one of the richest countries in the world, is facing acute problems in producing enough electricity for its citizens. While it’s unlikely that pizza will arrive cold at customers’ doors in Kuwait, where temperatures can reach up to 50 degrees Celsius, delivery drivers on motorcycles are at risk of collapsing due to the months-long heatwave gripping the Gulf. To prevent heat-related deaths, Kuwait’s government has banned motorcycle deliveries between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the heat is at its peak. The ban is also meant to reduce accidents, as the country has been experiencing regular power outages for months.
These are issues that other countries in the region are also facing. Due to climate change, large parts of the Gulf are becoming so hot that they can only be habitable with the help of air conditioning. This, in turn, leads to ever-increasing electricity consumption, which many countries cannot keep up with. Iraq and Egypt have been experiencing regular blackouts for months. However, these countries are also grappling with economic and political crises.
In contrast, Kuwait is one of the wealthiest nations globally, with an investment fund worth nearly a trillion dollars. Yet, this wealth doesn’t seem to be allocated toward domestic power generation. Kuwait holds about six percent of the world’s oil reserves but doesn’t have enough energy for its own population.
Since 2006, blackouts have been a recurring problem, and for just as long, the government has been promising to stabilize the energy supply. Sometimes, power is out for up to two hours a day. While household electricity consumption has been steadily decreasing in Germany for years, the trend in Kuwait is heading in the opposite direction, with consumption nearly three times higher. New records are announced every month. One reason for this is climate change: While the brutal summer heat used to last around three weeks, it now extends over three months, during which air conditioners are running at full blast throughout the country. So far, there are few incentives to conserve energy. While electricity prices have risen in Kuwait, they are still only about two cents per kilowatt-hour, roughly one-twentieth of the price in Germany.
Kuwait is among the highest consumers of electricity worldwide. At least the country burns more gas than oil, which is somewhat more environmentally friendly. The government blames technical issues and the ever-increasing demand for the frequent outages, as gas has to be imported from Qatar. Many Kuwaitis, however, see incompetence and government corruption as the main causes. “I expected the blackouts two or three years ago,” a former energy manager told Bloomberg News. “No one understood how important it is to take preventive measures; you have to plan years in advance.” This is something the government failed to do.
It has been clear for decades that Kuwait needs new power plants, yet the share of renewable energy is only 0.2 percent. At least, the bidding process for a large solar power plant has now begun. For many Kuwaitis, the power outages are a symptom of a broader crisis: While neighboring countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are actively working toward a future without oil, Kuwait remains at a standstill. While other Gulf nations invest in artificial intelligence, airlines, sports leagues, and tourism, Kuwait appears to be doing very little. There is at least a larger political space, but it isn’t being effectively used. Governments under the 83-year-old Emir change frequently — Kuwait has had 14 energy ministers in the last ten years. None of these many ministers has dared to tackle the extensive subsidies that keep fuel and electricity cheap, which, along with public servant salaries, reportedly make up 80 percent of the national budget. This leaves little money for future investments.
