Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation "KAHRAMAA" announced that it became the entity responsible for regulating district cooling services in Qatar based on the Cabinet's Law No. 19 issued in 2024, which regulates district cooling services in Qatar. The law aims to establish a framework and enables "KAHRAMAA" to develop the rules governing the service in accordance with the State's general policy and the policies and strategies related to district cooling services.
The statement by the Corporation explained that district cooling services are defined as the production, distribution, provision, or sale of cooling energy through chilled water by the licensee, which includes service providers and retailers. A district cooling service provider is any person licensed to establish or operate district cooling networks or provide district cooling services, whether for personal use or to provide these services and sell them to one or more district cooling service retailers or to one or more customers in the service area. A district cooling service retailer is any person licensed to provide district cooling services for themselves or to sell them to another retailer or to one or more customers in the service area.
KAHRAMAA seeks to enhances the quality of district cooling services. The relevant department studies and determines the service areas, allocates the necessary paths for the construction and maintenance of cooling networks, and sets standards to ensure the quality of services to protect the interests of customers and consumers. Additionally, the Corporation will conduct the necessary studies and research to support the sector, set technical standards and specifications related to district cooling services to ensure their provision according to the best global practices, and consider complaints and resolve disputes that may arise between licensees, customers, and consumers, and take appropriate actions.
According to the law, it is not permissible to establish or operate a district cooling system or provide its services without obtaining a license from the competent department. The license period is fifteen years, renewable for five years once or more, according to the requirements of the public interest. The renewal application must be submitted during the month preceding the expiration of the license.
The law prohibits the use of desalinated water for drinking purposes in providing district cooling services. It also obliges the customers and consumer to take all necessary measures to secure and protect the equipment and tools designated for delivering district cooling services and not to tamper with or damage them.
District cooling service is one of the sustainable services that contribute to reducing electricity and water consumption, preserving the gas used in production plants, and reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
