Impact of COVID-19 interventions on electricity power production: An empirical investigation in Kuwait

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of various COVID-19 containment measures on electricity power production in the State of Kuwait. Using longitudinal archival data from 2015 to 2020 and advanced regression analysis, the paper compares post-pandemic electricity production levels to pre-pandemic levels under various post-pandemic lockdown scenarios (ranging from no lockdown to partial and full lockdowns). The results showed a decline in average hourly electricity load during the various post-pandemic periods (compared with pre-pandemic levels) where the magnitude of the decline varied across the hour-of-day and the type of lockdown policy. On average, there was a decline of 9.0% to 14.0% in average hourly load during the post-pandemic period with no curfew policies (compared with pre-pandemic levels). This decline was magnified when lockdown was enforced, leading to a net reduction of up to 16.4%, but only when curfew hours coincided with peak load hours (i.e., from noon to sunset). These findings could help policymakers understand the impact of various COVID-19 measures on the demand for electricity, thus equipping them for optimal decision-making.