Methodology and Quality Update

Methodology and Quality last update 

  29/10/2024

Statistical Presentation

Data description  

Electrical Energy Statistics presents data on electrical energy in Saudi Arabia.
Electrical Energy statistics are statistics based on record data collected on key characteristics as follows:
•    The actual capacity for generating electrical energy. 
•    Total electrical energy production. 
•    Total electrical energy consumption. 
•    Peak load. 
•     Per capita and per customer share of consumed electrical energy. 

 

Classification system

Not applicable.

 

Sector coverage

The electrical energy statistics cover the energy sector in the field of electrical energy across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

 

Statistical concepts and definitions

Terms and concepts of Electrical Energy Statistics:
•    Available capacity:
It is the available capacity for electricity production from all electrical power generation in the Kingdom, which can be obtained under certain conditions. 
•    Peak load:
It is the maximum load for supplying electrical energy for a fixed duration within a specified time period.
•    Per capita share:
The amount of electricity consumed per individual in a specific community over a defined period (usually a year).
•    Customer share:
The amount of electricity consumed by a single customer (such as a household, institution, or company) during a specific time period. 

 

Statistical unit

Not applicable. 

 

Statistical population

Not applicable. 

 

Reference area

The Electrical Energy Statistics Publication covers all 13 administrative regions of the Kingdom. 

 

Time coverage

Data is available from 2010 to 2023 on an annual basis.

 

Base period

Not applicable. 

 

Unit of measure

•    Most indicators are measured in gigawatt-hours (GWh) (e.g., Total production and consumption of electrical energy, and the energy lost in transmission and distribution networks.
•    Some are measured in Megawatt-hours (MW) (e.g., The actual capacity for generating electrical energy and peak load.
•    Some are measured in kilowatt-hours per capita/customer (e.g., per capita/customer).

 

Reference period

Electrical Energy Statistics data from administrative records are based on the last day of the year in each calendar year.

 

Confidentiality 

Confidentiality - policy

According to the Royal Decree No. 23 dated 07-12-1397, data must always be kept confidential and must be used by GASTAT only for statistical purposes.
Therefore, the data are protected in the data servers of the Authority.

 

Confidentiality - data treatment

Data are displayed in appropriate tables to facilitate its summarization, comprehension, results extraction, comparison with other data and coming up with statistical connotations for the study community. It is also easier to check tables without the need to see the original questionnaire, which usually include data like names and addresses of individuals, names of data providers, which violates the confidentiality of statistical data.

 

Release policy

Release calendar

Electrical energy statistics are included in the statistical calendar.

 

Release calendar access

Available on the: https: https://www.stats.gov.sa/statistical-calendar-releases

 

User access

One of GASTAT’s objectives is to better meet its clients' needs, so it immediately provides them with the publication's results once the Electrical energy statistics publication is published.
 It also receives questions and inquiries of the clients about the Publication and its results through various communication channels, such as:
•    GASTAT official website:  www.stats.gov.sa
•    GASTAT official e-mail address:  info@stats.gov.sa
•    Client support e-mail:  info@stats.gov.sa
•    Official visits to GASTAT’s official head office in Riyadh or one of its branches in Saudi Arabia.
•    Official letters.
•    Statistical telephone: (199009).

 

Frequency of dissemination

Annual.

 

Accessibility and clarity

News release

The announcements of each publication are available on release calendar as mentioned in 7.2. Release calendar access. The news release can be viewed on the website of GASTAT through the following link:
  https://www.stats.gov.sa/en/news

 

Publications

GASTAT issues Electrical energy statistics Publications and Reports on a regular basis within a pre-prepared dissemination plan and are published on GASTAT’s website. GASTAT is keen to publish its publications in a way that serves all users of different types, including publications in different formats that contain (publication tables, data graphs, indicators, methodology and quality Report) in both Arabic and English.
The results of the Electrical energy statistics are available at:
https://www.stats.gov.sa/en/statistics

 

On-line database

Not available.

Micro-data access 

Not available.

 

Other

Not available.

 

Documentation on methodology

Electrical energy statistics Framework
The General Authority for Statistics conducts all its statistical work according to a unified methodology that aligns with the nature of each statistical product. It relies on a manual of statistical work procedures that is compatible with the established work procedures of international organizations, in coordination with the Ministry of Energy. 
Methodology: UNSD - Energy Statistics

 

Quality documentation

Quality documentation covers documentation on methods and standards for assessing, measuring, and monitoring the quality of statistical process and output. It is based on standard quality criteria such as relevance, accuracy and reliability, timeliness and punctuality, accessibility and clarity, comparability, and coherence.

Quality management

Quality assurance

GASTAT declares that it considers the following principles: impartiality, user orientated, quality of processes and output, effectiveness of statistical processes, reducing the workload for respondents. 
Quality controls and validation of data are actions carried out throughout the process in different stages such as the data input and data collection and other final controls.

 

Quality assessment

GASTAT performs all statistical activities according to a national model (Generic Statistical Business Process Model – GSBPM). According to the GSBPM, the final phase of statistical activities is overall evaluation using information gathered in each phase or sub-process. This information is used to prepare the evaluation report which outlines all the quality issues related to the specific statistical activity and serves as input for improvement actions.

Relevance 

User needs 

Internal users at the General Authority for Statistics for electrical energy statistics data:
•    International indicators department.
•    Strategic Communication and Client Support Department
Some several external users and beneficiaries who greatly rely on electrical energy statistics data, including:
•    Government entities.
•    Regional and international organizations.
•    Research institutions.
•    Media.
•    private sector 
•    Individuals.

The disseminated key variables that used by external users:

International Energy Agency (IEA)	Electrical energy data from: The actual capacity for generating electrical power, total production and consumption of electrical energy, peak load, per capita and customer share, energy lost in transmission and distribution networks, the number of power outages, and the duration of power outages.
GCC Statistical Center
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
The United Nations Statistics Division

 

User satisfaction

Not available.

 

Completeness 

Electrical energy statistics data are based on administrative records data from electrical energy-related entities, in order to provide a comprehensive and integrated picture of the electrical energy sector in Saudi Arabia ,and the status of the data is complete.

 

Accuracy and reliability 

Overall accuracy

•    Data is checked with previous years to identify any significant changes in the data.
•    The internal consistency of the data is checked before it is finalized.
•    The links between variables are checked and coherence between different data series is confirmed.

 

Timeliness and punctuality 

Timeliness 

The General Authority for Statistics is committed to applying internationally recognized standards in announcing and clarifying the publication time of statistics on the official website through the statistical calendar. In case of any delay, it will be updated accordingly.

 

Punctuality

The publication takes place according to the published release dates on the statistical calendar for electrical energy statistics on the website of the General Authority for Statistics.
The data are available at the expected time, as scheduled in the statistical release calendar, If the publication is delayed, reasons shall be provided.

 

Coherence and comparability

Comparability - geographical

Data is fully geographically comparable.

Comparability - over time 

Data is fully comparable.

 

Coherence- cross domain 

Not applicable. 

Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics 

Not applicable. 

Coherence- National Accounts 

Not applicable. 

Coherence - internal 

Electrical energy statistics data have completed internal consistency.

 

Data revision

Data revision - policy

Not applicable, only final results will be published.

Data revision - practice

Not applicable, only final results will be published.

 

Statistical processing

Source data

The main and only source of data for Electrical energy statistics is register based data from:
Ministry of Energy.

 

Frequency of data collection 

Annual.

 

Data collection

The data are collected from the administrative records in coordination with the departments of the Authority related to the management and collection of the data records, where the data of the Electrical energy statistics publication are obtained from the Ministry of Energy, which includes data on the actual capacity generating electrical energy., production and consumption of electrical energy, the peak load, the number of customers, the per capita and joint share of electrical energy consumed and the power lost, the number of power outages and the duration of the outages. 
The data is stored in the authority's databases after undergoing auditing and review processes following approved statistical methods and recognized quality standards. If errors or discrepancies are discovered, the data is cross-referenced with the data source for correction or clarification.

 

Data validation

Data are reviewed and matched to ensure their accuracy and precision in a way that suits their nature with the aim of giving the presented statistics quality and accuracy. 
The data of the current year publication are compared with the data of the previous year to ensure their integrity and consistency in preparation for processing data and extracting and reviewing results.
In addition to the data processing and tabulation to check their accuracy, all the outputs are stored and uploaded to the database after being calculated by GASTAT to be reviewed and processed by specialists in Environment, Agriculture, and Energy Statistics Department through modern technologies and software designed for this purpose.

 

Data compilation

Data editing:
Specialists of Environment, Agriculture, and Energy Statistics Department have processed and analyzed data in this stage, and this step was based on the following measures:
•    Sorting and arranging data in groups or different categories in a serial order.
•    Summarizing detailed data into key points or data.
•    Combining many data segments and ensuring their interconnection.
•    Converting data into statistically significant data.
•    Arranging, presenting, and interpreting data.

 

Adjustment

Not applicable, only final results will be published.