Dewa adds new substations to Dubai’s Dh10bn power expansion plan

Dubai will add to its Dh10 billion plan to expand its electricity network over the next three years, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) said on Saturday.

The utility company said it will build three 400-kilovolt (kV) substations, costing Dh1bn, to be complete in 2020, adding to its 21 existing 400kV substations. This is on top of Dewa’s February announcement to construct 97 new 132/11kv substations at a total cost of Dh10bn.

The latest additions will be capable of handling larger loads of electricity, which also requires more land for the towers, lines and cables.

Saeed Al Tayer, Dewa’s managing director and chief executive, said that the expansion would increase the emirate’s electricity reliability, availability and efficiency.

Dewa’s total production capacity reached 10,000 megawatts (MW) last year, while the peak demand for electricity increased by 4 per cent from the previous year to 7,982MW. “The three 400kV substations will greatly contribute to Dewa’s efforts to meet the increasing demand for water and electricity in Dubai,” Mr Al Tayer said.

Dubai has allocated Dh65bn for its energy sector over the next five years and is working on increasing production capacity with the Hassyan clean-coal power plant and the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar park.

Follow The National's Business section on Twitter