Kahramaa Approval in Qatar for Electricity and Water Design
Kahramaa is the Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation. It must approve a building's electricity and water design before construction, and many people call this the Kahramaa NOC (no objection certificate). We calculate the loads, prepare the drawings and submit them as part of your building permit.
Who needs this
- Owners and developers applying for a building permit for a new building
- Owners adding floors, units or large air-conditioning loads to an existing building
- Tenants whose fit-out needs more power, such as restaurants and clinics
- Landlords dividing a building into separately metered units
What we deliver
- Connected load and maximum demand calculations for each distribution board
- Air-conditioning load calculations
- Single line diagram of the electrical system
- Electrical layouts showing lighting, power, main switch room and meter positions
- Substation room layout where Kahramaa requires a substation on the plot
- Water supply drawings showing the meter cabinet, ground tank, pumps and pipe routes
- Water demand and tank capacity calculations
- Written replies and revised drawings for each Kahramaa comment
Who reviews the drawings
We prepare each submission, answer the comments and follow up until it is cleared.
Kahramaa
Reviews and approves the electricity and water design, later inspects the installation and connects the supply.
Ministry of Municipality
Issues the building permit, which includes Kahramaa's review of the services design.
Qatar Civil Defence
Reviews fire pumps and emergency systems, which must match the electrical and water design.
How it works
The steps below are the usual sequence. We confirm the exact route for your plot and building type at the start.
- 01
Load estimate
We list every electrical load and calculate the connected load and the expected maximum demand.
- 02
Supply decision
The demand shows whether a low voltage supply is enough or a substation on the plot is likely.
- 03
Rooms and routes
We place the switch room, meters, water meter cabinet, ground tank and any substation room on the architectural plans.
- 04
Submission
We submit the drawings and calculations for Kahramaa review within the building permit process.
- 05
Comments and approval
Kahramaa engineers comment or approve. We revise the drawings and reply to each comment.
- 06
Installation and connection
A contractor holding a Kahramaa licence installs to the approved drawings. Kahramaa inspects and tests the installation before it energises the supply.
What we need from you
- Title deed and plot plan
- Architectural drawings, or your brief if we are also your architect
- List of major equipment, such as air-conditioning, kitchen equipment, lifts and pumps
- Existing Kahramaa electricity and water numbers, for existing buildings
- Previous approved electrical drawings and building permit, for alterations
- Signed letter appointing us as your consultant
Common causes of delay, and how we avoid them
Load underestimated
Air-conditioning or kitchen loads are guessed, so the approved supply is too small. We calculate loads from the equipment list.
No space for a substation
The need for a substation appears after the layout is fixed. We check the demand at concept stage and reserve the room early.
Rooms in the wrong place
Kahramaa staff cannot easily reach the switch room, meters or water meter cabinet. We place them for access from the start.
Drawings do not match the architecture
Electrical and water drawings use an old architectural layout. Our architects and engineers work from the same current plans.
What Kahramaa checks in the design
Kahramaa's regulations require approval of the electrical design before construction starts. The review begins with the numbers. Reviewers check the connected load at each distribution board, the diversity applied and the air-conditioning load calculation. They then check the single line diagram, cable and breaker sizes, earthing and the main switch room. When the demand is too high for the low voltage network, Kahramaa asks for a substation on the plot. A substation room needs ground floor space and clear access from the road. On the water side, reviewers check the meter position near the plot boundary, the ground tank and the pipe sizes.
How approval ties to the permit and the connection
For a new building, Kahramaa approval is part of the building permit. The electricity and water drawings go in at the detailed services stage, which many people call DC2. Design approval does not connect the supply. During construction, only contractors holding a Kahramaa licence may carry out the electrical work. At the end, Kahramaa inspects and tests the installation. The permanent connection also depends on the building completion certificate. The name Kahramaa NOC is also used for clearance to excavate near existing cables and pipes. That is a separate request, normally made by the contractor.
Kahramaa Approval: common questions
Is Kahramaa approval the same as a Kahramaa connection?
No. Approval covers the design before construction. Connection happens after the building is finished, inspected and tested.
When does my building need its own substation?
It depends on the building's maximum demand and on the network capacity near your plot. Kahramaa decides during design review. We estimate the demand early, before the layout is fixed.
My restaurant fit-out needs more power. What do I do?
We calculate the new load and compare it with the supply approved for the unit. If the load is higher, a load increase request goes to Kahramaa with revised drawings. The landlord's consent is normally needed.
How long does Kahramaa approval take?
We do not quote a period. It depends on the size of the load, whether a substation is needed and the number of comment rounds.
Often needed together
- AUTH
Building Permit
We prepare the drawings and submit your building permit application to the Ministry of Municipality, with the other authority clearances it needs.
- MEP
MEP Engineering
HVAC, electrical, plumbing, drainage and fire fighting design in Qatar, coordinated with architecture and structure before authority review.
- AUTH
Building Completion Certificate
As-built drawings, authority clearances and the municipality application for your building completion certificate in Qatar.
Tell us about your project.
An engineer will get back to you. The first consultation is free.