“The temperature reached 45 degrees Celsius for days on end. This lead to electricity cuts,” he said after talks with Qassim Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar.

The minister said the other two reasons for the power cuts included overloads and the noncommitment of residents to rationalize consumption.

He said he would not compensate consumers for damages as a result of the continued power cuts and said the cuts were caused by reasons in which the electricity company had no hand. The minister, however, explained that the company would be committed to compensate consumers if the cuts were caused by its negligence or substandard performance.

Al-Hossain also said a schedule for the power cuts in Qassim could not be made, due to lack of proper measurement equipment.  The company makes annual revenues of SR18 billion from its five million subscribers and spends SR40 billion to make the electricity reach them.