A severe electricity crisis threatens six Arab countries, coinciding with the scorching summer of 2025.

Arab Weather - Six Arab countries are preparing to face a severe electricity crisis during the coming summer months, coinciding with an expected rise in temperatures and a steady increase in energy demand. Forecasts indicate that this crisis may worsen due to the accumulation of structural problems related to infrastructure, fuel shortages, political tensions, and financial and administrative challenges. This coincides with expectations that temperatures will reach the 50-degree mark in some countries, such as Iraq and Kuwait, and may even slightly exceed that.

Kuwait: Crisis despite imports and a theoretical surplus

Although Kuwait's electricity generation capacity stands at 20.5 gigawatts, peak demand during the summer is expected to reach 19 gigawatts, placing the system under severe pressure due to the deterioration of the power plants and the slow implementation of expansion projects.

Official sources indicate that Kuwait may resort to reducing load shedding by between two and four hours per day in July and August, despite the existence of an electrical connection with the Gulf Interconnection Authority that provides an additional 500 megawatts.

Iraq: Fuel crisis threatens half of generation

In Iraq, the electricity crisis is worsening as Iranian gas supplies have dropped from 50 to 20 million cubic meters per day, leading to a decline in production from 28,000 to 20,000 megawatts, with a potential drop to 16,000 soon.

Actual demand during peak summer months is approximately 55,000 megawatts, meaning Iraq faces an electricity deficit exceeding 27,000 megawatts, amid delays in implementing alternative gas import agreements from Turkmenistan.

Syria: Relying on solar energy to combat collapse

In Syria, daily production does not exceed 2,600 megawatts, compared to demand of 9,000, forcing residents to rely almost entirely on diesel generators and home solar power. The Syrian government is looking into a power connection project with Turkey that could raise production to 5,000 megawatts, but it will not be operational before the end of this summer, leaving the country facing a harsh summer.

Lebanon: Government electricity for only 6 hours

Lebanon suffers from a chronic fuel shortage, limiting power plants' production to just 2,000 megawatts, compared to demand of 5,000. Most areas rely on private generators, with government-provided power supply for no more than 4 to 6 hours per day.

Officials agree that the crisis cannot be resolved without a complete restructuring of the sector and the provision of sustainable financing, which is unavailable given the country's deep economic crisis.

Yemen: 20-hour power outage daily and warnings of a humanitarian disaster

In Yemen, power stations in Aden and the southern governorates are almost completely shut down, with outages lasting up to 20 hours per day. Officials warn of a humanitarian disaster if sufficient fuel supplies are not secured during the summer. With the national grid damaged by war and airstrikes, only 10% of the population has access to government-run electricity, while approximately 75% of the population relies on solar energy.

Sudan: Internal War Deepens Electrical Collapse

Sudan suffers from dilapidated infrastructure and limited reliance on hydroelectric power. As the civil war intensifies, power plants suffer from a lack of maintenance and fuel, leading to outages of up to 14 hours a day in some areas of Khartoum. Official reports indicate that the electricity sector has virtually collapsed due to the conflict, with funding unavailable and investments stalled.

What's next?

The electricity crisis recurs year after year in many Arab countries, revealing a deep structural flaw that cannot be resolved with temporary fixes. Experts emphasize that overcoming these crises requires:

• Diversification of energy and fuel sources
• Improve operational efficiency
• Strengthening regional electricity interconnection projects
• Modernization of distribution and transmission networks
• Combating corruption and promoting transparency