Kuwait’s Electricity Minister Resigns Following Last Month’s Power Cut

Kuwaiti Water and Electricity Minister Abdulaziz al-Ibrahim has resigned, the state news agency Kuna said on Monday, more than a month after a widespread power cut hit the Gulf state.

The Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Mohammed al-Abdullah al-Sabah, said the cabinet had been informed at its weekly meeting that Ibrahim’s resignation had been accepted by the country’s ruler.

No details were given on the reasons for the resignation, but the agency said the emir had expressed understanding for the causes behind his move, which he had outlined in his letter.

OPEC member Kuwait experienced a widespread power outage on Feb 11. At the time, Ibrahim had attributed the outage to a technical failure at a power station.

After the incident, lawmakers had called for the minister to answer questions in parliament.

On Sunday, KUNA quoted Ibrahim as saying that a file on an investigation into the power cut showing maintenance shortfalls, which had been referred to the cabinet and the country’s parliament, had been transferred to the public prosecutor.