Increasing power swap among GCC states soon: Minister
KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Oil Minister and Minister of Electricity and Water Bakheet Al-Rasheedi said capacity of exchanged electric power among GCC countries will be increased through Gulf grid project soon. This came at the opening of the ‘Leading Electric Power Conference and Exhibition,’ held in Kuwait yesterday. The event, due to last until November 13, is one of the most important specialized conferences ever held in the Gulf region.
The conference is a cornerstone for research and studies for the development projects of the Gulf electricity networks, Rasheedi said, pointing out that it is taking place at a time of great challenges facing the electricity sector and its industry. The Gulf electricity sector has great responsibilities in the transformation and development with the global trend, and this cannot happen except on valid scientific basis and extensive studies, he added. He explained that the technical program of the conference would have a positive impact to enrich information among participants in and outside the region, he said.
Meanwhile, Assistant Secretary General of the GCC for Economic and Development Affairs Khalifa Al-Abri said increasing power demand warrants overhauling the sector. The economic agreement and decisions of the Supreme Council of the GCC countries stressed importance of joint efforts in electric power production to support growth of the industrial sector and enhance productive interrelations among GCC states, he added. In light of the increasing demand for electricity in the GCC countries, that reached 6.8 percent, the reports of consumption indicate to excessive consumption and waste of electricity, he stressed.
In the meantime, GCC CIGRE Board Chairman Kamel Al-Shehabi said since establishment of GCC CIGRE 33 years ago, it has sought to find solutions to many technical and practical obstacles facing the power sector in addition to enriching the electrical system in the region through its various activities. The conference program includes events of specialized technical sessions and training courses provided by many experts, researchers and investors from around the world to discuss the present and the future of the electricity industry in the region, Shehabi said. The third event of this conference concerned with the organization of the 23rd exhibition of the electrical equipment and which include 24 companies from top global manufacturers, he added. — KUNA and their families according to a special operation plan scheduled to start this year. Notably, the recent heavy rain stalled work in various health insurance centers after the Ministry of Health (MoH) decided to suspend cash payment and only use electronic revenue stamps, which led to delaying transactions and creating long queues, as it takes 9-13 minutes per transaction using the e-stamps compared to only 30 seconds using cash.
Victim’s family
Head of Al-Najat Charity Society’s bank department Jamal Nasser Al-Shatti extended his heartiest condolences to the family of Ahmad Al-Fadhli, who was killed during the recent flooding, and announced that the society will take care of the martyr’s family and pay their rent for a whole year.
Verdict upheld
The court of cassation yesterday upheld a court of appeal verdict indicting a citizen for joining the Islamic State (IS) and attempting to bomb the Zainul Abedeen Mosque and a security facility in Salmiya. The court of appeal had reduced the sentence by the first instance court to imprison the 19-year-old citizen for seven years to five years.
KD 7 million
The Ministry of Interior (MoI) urged various ministries to pay around KD 7 million in indirect traffic citations filed against drivers using vehicles registered with the ministries’ names, before they get outdated and are removed from service. MoI also urged the finance ministry to deduct the fines due on each ministry from its budget, which was rejected by the finance ministry.