Kahramaa, formally the Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation, is the national utility responsible for the transmission and distribution of electricity and water throughout the State of Qatar. Established in 2000, Kahramaa purchases bulk electricity from independent power and water producers and delivers it to residential, commercial, and industrial consumers across the country. The corporation also transmits and distributes desalinated water produced at coastal plants to end users. Kahramaa’s operations are essential to every pillar of Qatar National Vision 2030, as reliable electricity and water supply underpins all economic activity, social services, and quality of life.
Electricity Operations
Kahramaa operates the national electricity transmission grid, managing the high-voltage network that connects generation facilities to distribution substations, and the medium- and low-voltage distribution networks that deliver power to end users. Qatar’s electricity system is characterized by high peak demand driven by summer air conditioning loads, with peak consumption substantially exceeding baseload levels. Managing this demand variability requires significant investment in transmission and distribution infrastructure, as well as generation reserve margins.
The corporation does not own generation assets directly but procures electricity through long-term purchase agreements with independent power producers, primarily gas-fired combined cycle plants. This structural separation between generation and transmission/distribution was designed to introduce commercial efficiency into the electricity sector while maintaining Kahramaa’s public service mandate.
Water Operations
Qatar’s water supply is almost entirely dependent on seawater desalination, supplemented by limited groundwater extraction. Kahramaa operates the water transmission and distribution infrastructure that delivers desalinated water from coastal production facilities to consumers. The strategic water reserve, maintained through large-capacity storage reservoirs, provides a buffer against supply disruptions and ensures continuity during periods of maintenance or emergency.
Water security is a strategic concern for Qatar, given the absence of significant freshwater resources. Kahramaa’s management of the water supply chain, from receipt of desalinated water through to household delivery, is a critical element of national infrastructure resilience.
Tarsheed: National Conservation Program
Kahramaa operates the Tarsheed program, a national conservation initiative aimed at reducing electricity and water consumption through awareness campaigns, efficiency standards, and behavioral change programs. Qatar’s per capita electricity and water consumption rates are among the highest globally, driven by subsidized tariffs, extreme summer temperatures, and energy-intensive desalination. Tarsheed addresses these consumption patterns through public education, building efficiency codes, and the promotion of water-saving and energy-saving technologies.
The conservation program aligns with both the environmental development pillar’s sustainability objectives and the economic development pillar’s interest in reducing the fiscal cost of subsidized utility provision.
Renewable Energy Integration
Kahramaa is central to Qatar’s renewable energy ambitions. The country has set targets for solar energy integration into the electricity generation mix, with the Al Kharsaah solar power plant representing the first utility-scale solar project connected to the national grid. The plant, with a capacity of approximately 800 megawatts, will supply a meaningful share of Qatar’s electricity demand during daylight hours.
The integration of intermittent solar generation into a grid historically designed around steady-state gas-fired generation requires investment in grid management capabilities, energy storage, and demand response mechanisms. Kahramaa’s technical capacity to manage this transition will determine the pace at which Qatar can meet its renewable energy targets.
Role in Qatar National Vision 2030
Kahramaa’s contribution to QNV 2030 is most direct under the environmental development pillar, where the corporation’s conservation programs and renewable energy integration efforts address sustainability objectives. However, reliable utility supply is also a prerequisite for the economic development pillar, which depends on consistent electricity and water for industrial, commercial, and residential activities. The social development pillar benefits from Kahramaa’s universal service mandate, which ensures that all residents have access to essential utilities.
Strategic Outlook
Kahramaa faces the dual challenge of meeting growing demand from population and economic expansion while reducing the environmental intensity of utility provision. The corporation’s ability to expand transmission and distribution capacity, integrate renewable generation, promote conservation, and maintain supply reliability will be tested as Qatar’s economy diversifies and urbanizes. Infrastructure investment, grid modernization, and demand-side management will define Kahramaa’s strategic agenda for the coming decade.