Wafra’s launch positions Kuwait to meet peak demand, potentially export electricity: Official
KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Wafra power station, the country’s largest electricity interconnection project, has started initial operations and is expected to be fully integrated into the national grid by early 2026, government officials said.
The power plant is Kuwait’s second connection to the Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) regional grid, after the Al-Zour facility, which has been in operation since 2009.
Rashed Al-Buraiki, Head of Overhead Line Construction at the ministry’s Transmission Networks Sector, told state television that the station began operating this month with a capacity of 3,000 megawatts — more than triple that of Al-Zour’s 900 MW.
“We hope this station will provide a major boost to Kuwait’s electricity network,” he said.
The station, which has been under construction since 2022, covers 62,000 square meters and connects Kuwait to the regional grid via four overhead transmission lines running 256 kilometers to Al-Fadhili in Saudi Arabia. Additional infrastructure will link Wafra to Al-Faw in southern Iraq, creating a pathway for future connections to Turkey and Europe.
Work is ongoing to connect the Wafra plant directly to Kuwait’s grid, with 61 percent of the project completed. Full integration is expected by the end of 2025, and commercial operations are scheduled to start in early 2026.
Millions of dinars in funding
In an August 19 statement, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) described Wafra as a strategic investment that supports clean energy and regional integration.
“Kuwait is the primary economic beneficiary of the project,” Acting Director General of KFAED, Waleed Al-Bahar, said. “The Wafra station will add about 2,500 MW of capacity to Kuwait’s electricity network, helping meet peak demand and stabilize the national grid.”
The project is partially funded through two KFAED loans to the GCC Interconnection Authority, totaling 70 million Kuwaiti dinars ($224 million). According to the fund, the investment is expected to yield economic returns while reducing carbon emissions by enabling more efficient use of electricity surpluses across the region.
KFAED also highlighted that connecting the station to southern Iraq positions the country as a hub for future regional power exchange, strengthening supply security and efficiency across the Gulf and the broader Middle East.
Electricity exchange
Local media reported that a Kuwaiti delegation recently visited Wafra on its second day of operations to inspect the facility, including monitoring, analysis, and fault-prediction technologies. The GCC Interconnection Authority, which owns and operates the power plant, said the project aims to improve emergency capacity-sharing among member states, support renewable energy integration, and open opportunities for regional power exchange. The technical scope also includes new double-circuit transmission lines connecting Wafra to Kuwait’s domestic substations at Sabah Al-Ahmad, along with upgrades at Wafra, Al-Fadhili and Al-Faw.
Al-Buraiki noted that Wafra will serve as a hub for both electricity imports and exports. While Kuwait currently relies on imports, ongoing projects — including the Khairan and Al-Mutlaa plants and expanded capacity at Al-Zour — could enable the country to export electricity in the coming years. “With the projects underway, we expect Kuwait not only to meet its own needs but potentially become an exporter of electricity,” he said.
