Kuwait plans to allocate water and electricity projects worth US$1.2bn under the country?s 2015-16 budget
Of the total figure, US$728.5mn has already been spent on projects so far. This data was revealed by Kuwait?s minister of parliament, Ahmad Lari, who said he discussed these numbers with the country?s acting electricity and water minister, Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah.
In August 2015, it was announced that Kuwait has approved the construction of a series of power plants, desalination facilities and other infrastructure projects worth up to US$9.9bn.
While no timeline has been set for most projects, which are expected to add 3,580MW to the country?s electricity capacity, a planned sewage plant will commence by the year 2020.
No information has been shared regarding project funding, except that 50 per cent of the funds will be raised through stock market offerings, Reuters reported.
Kuwait has also planned a second phase of the gas-fired Az-Zour North power and desalinated water plant that has an initial capacity of 1,800MW.
The country also wants to generate 15 per cent of its energy needs via renewable sources by 2030, with the first of up to 100 solar-powered fuelling stations operating by 2017, oil minister Ali Saleh al-Omair had said in June this year. A pilot 70MW project in the Shagaya desert zone west of Kuwait City is expected to be completed by next year.
