Multicriteria decision making in electricity demand management: the case of Kuwait

Electricity demand in Kuwait has substantially increased over the years and this increase is attributed to population growth, increase in the number of buildings, and the extensive use of air-conditioning system during the very hot weather in the summer. The amount of electrical energy generated reached 48 444 308 megawatt hour (MWH) in 2007. Such growth calls for extensive investment in the continuous expansion of the existing power plants and constructing new ones. To rationalise the consumption of electricity, several conservation policies have to be implemented. In this work, we have attempted to diagnose such problem and solicit expert opinions in order to provide the proper remedies. Because the problem comprises several criteria that are subjective in nature, multicriteria decision-making approaches were suggested. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used as a decision tool to assess the different policies that could be used to bring about electricity conservation.