The Shura Council met on June 8 in Tamim bin Hamad Hall to review Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa)’s plans for securing electricity and water supplies, expanding renewable energy, and modernizing subscriber services. The session, chaired by HE Speaker Hassan bin Abdullah al-Ghanem, included presentations from Kahramaa president Engineer Abdulla bin Ali al-Theyab and several specialists who detailed current operations and future initiatives aligned with the Qatar National Renewable Energy Strategy 2030.
During the meeting, al-Theyab outlined Kahramaa’s ongoing efforts to enhance the transmission and distribution networks to meet increasing demand and integrate national projects. He described a comprehensive emergency response framework combining 24/7 control centers, monitoring systems, and technical teams to swiftly address outages or faults. He emphasized the national strategy’s focus on increasing the share of renewables, particularly solar photovoltaic power and distributed solar-generation solutions, while maintaining grid stability through integration with efficient conventional energy sources.
On water management, al-Theyab highlighted the continuous monitoring and maintenance of transmission and distribution systems, including the replacement of aging infrastructure and the rollout of smart metering technology. The National Water Control Centre plays a central role in supervising pumping, storage, distribution, and water quality, ensuring compliance with local and international health and environmental standards through automated quality monitoring. Additional water security measures discussed included strategic reserves, groundwater management, water-harvesting wells, and underground storage to support emergency preparedness.
Members of the council commended Kahramaa’s contributions to service development and network efficiency, underscoring the importance of sustained investment to keep pace with Qatar’s urban growth and rising population. The council called for expanding renewable energy projects, notably solar initiatives, and endorsed progress made toward grid readiness for new energy sources. Discussions also covered the extension of district cooling systems in densely populated areas and initiatives to increase public awareness about rational electricity and water consumption.
Concerns were raised regarding billing accuracy, meter-reading efficiency, tariff structures for commercial and service sectors, and their impact on economic activities. Members urged the adoption of policies balancing resource efficiency, sustainability, and business support. Additionally, concerns were expressed about delays in infrastructure connections to certain residential and commercial areas, as well as supply improvements for farms and desert locations. The safe use of centralized gas systems in residential complexes and the adoption of smart systems and artificial intelligence for network and subscriber service management were also addressed.
In response, al-Theyab affirmed that Kahramaa would incorporate the council’s feedback into ongoing development plans aimed at enhancing sector efficiency and advancing sustainability and renewable energy programs. Speaker al-Ghanem reaffirmed the council’s commitment to supporting supply security and optimal resource use.
Separately, the council reviewed a report from the Health, Public Services and Environment Affairs Committee on proposed legislation concerning digital protection for children. They approved forwarding the draft law to the government for further consideration, acting under Article 106 of the council’s Rules of Procedure.