Kuwait moved on a deal to import electricity from a $1.4 billion power grid in Qatar ahead of spikes in energy demands expected this summer, officials said Several Gulf states have moved to sign agreements with Qatar for its first phase of a new regional power grid expected to go online fully in May 2010. Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia expect to test the initial links on the grid this summer, with Oman and the United Arab Emirates coming online at a later date. With summer temperatures in Kuwait soaring to around 122 degrees Fahrenheit, Kuwait has one of the highest per capita power consumptions in the world. Kuwaiti energy officials said the negotiations were still in the early stages, adding purchasing mechanisms were in place, but not the technical conditions, reports said. Electricity would need to travel along a route from Qatar to Saudi Arabia to reach Kuwait. Kuwait is the first to move on the new energy grid. “We are still talking with Qatar and studying the agreement. The principle of buying power from Qatar is there but we are now studying the technical conditions,” the official said. Gulf countries have hooked up the first phase of a $1.4 billion regional power grid, which will begin full operation in May next year, hoping it will help them meet spiralling power needs. Links under the first phase between Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar were being tested ahead of operation this summer. Oman and the UAE would link up later. Qatar could supply Kuwait with up to 500 megawatts (MW) of electricity this summer, said the official, although the final figure was still being discussed. Kuwait has said it plans to boost power capacity to around 16,000 MW by 2012 by building new power plants and expanding current ones. Power capacity stood at 11,000 MW, while demand in the summer could exceed 10,000 MW this year. Most Gulf countries strain their national grids to supply peak power demand in the summer, and Qatar is one of the few with excess power capacity to sell. Despite the global economic slowdown, Kuwait power demand was expected to rise 6-8 percent per year, said the official.
