Dubai water, power demand surge in 2013

Power demand in Dubai increased 3.3 per cent to 6,857MW in 2013 from 6,637MW in the previous year.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa), said peak load grew by 3.3 per cent from 6,637MW in 2012 to 6,857MW in 2013, and that the system requirements for electricity reached 37,478 GWh in 2013 compared to 36,299 GWh in 2012, a growth of 3.24 per cent.

Additionally, peak demand for water reached 296 million gallons per day compared to 285 million in 2012 – an increase of 3.85 per cent.

Dewa recorded a series of achievements in 2013 based on its vision to become a sustainable world-class utility.

Dewa’s remarkable performance is due to its efforts to realise the vision of the country’s foresighted leadership, and the innovative directives and initiatives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to consolidate Dubai’s leading regional position and its role as a global hub for trade, finance and tourism.

Al Tayer said that 40km of 1,200mm pipeline water distribution networks and 5km of 900mm pipeline networks were laid in 2013. Dewa’s water storage capacity increased by 20 per cent to 707 million gallons by the end of 2013, compared to 587 million gallons in 2012.

He said Dewa’s consumption also witnessed strong growth with electricity consumers growing by 4.44 per cent from 624,445 in 2012 to 652,200 in 2013, and water consumers increased by 4.4 per cent from 554,985 to 580,678 during the same period.

Al Tayer said that 2013 saw several accomplishments including the inauguration of M-Station, the UAE’s largest power and water desalination plant that has the production capacity of 2,060 megawatts of electricity and 140 million imperial gallons of desalinated water per day. This followed the opening of Dewa’s Sustainable Building in Al Quoz, the largest government building in the world with a Platinum rating for green buildings from Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (Leed).

In another strong accomplishment, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum inaugurated in October the first project of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which uses photovoltaic technology. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum also launched the second project, which will build a 100MW plant. This has raised Dewa’s total production capacity to 9,656MW of electricity and 470 million imperial gallons of desalinated water per day.

“To achieve Dubai’s transformation into a Smart Government, Dewa has introduced 150 new smartphone features and services to enhance the standards of living of Dubai’s residents and contribute to their happiness. Dewa won the Best Government Electronic Gate Award and Best Smartphone Application Award at the GCC eGovernment Award ceremony, and the Award for Best Government Service via Mobile Phone at the Hamdan bin Mohammed Award for Smart Government.

“The number of 400kV substations reached 19 last year, while the number of 132kV main substations reached 194 compared to 184 in 2012. More than 58km of 132kV underground cables and 30km of 33kV cables were laid out last year. The combined length of the network’s 132kV cables is now 1,544km,” said Al Tayer.

Al Tayer observed that 2013 was indeed a year of exceptional achievements, and that DEWA is looking forward to continue its growth and success in meeting the requirements of Dubai’s development plans for the future to turn Dubai into the smartest city in the world.

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