Despite COVID-19, zero power interruptions were recorded in Dubai: Dewa

UAE -  Despite Covid-triggered challenges, electricity and water supply across Dubai remained stable, with zero interruptions over the past few months, authorities said on Friday.

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) is the first utility service provider in the Middle East to have received an ISO certification for business continuity management. It has a clear, approved plan for any emergency that may arise because of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Work has also carried on at all the projects of Dewa, including the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. It is the largest single-site solar park in the world using the independent power producer model.

Current projects at the solar park have a capacity of 1,013MW. The total capacity of the five phases announced so far will reach 2,863 MW and will reach 5,000 MW by 2030.

“We work in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to provide state-of-the-art infrastructure and manage all facilities and services through smart and connected systems that use technologies (like) artificial intelligence, unmanned aerial vehicles, energy storage, blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT),” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dewa.

Dewa currently has an installed capacity of 11,700MW and 470 million gallons of water per day. Between 2006 and 2019, it has increased its generation efficiency by 31.4 per cent.

It has also achieved the highest standards in global competitiveness indicators, which includes raising the fuel efficiency of the generation units to about 90 per cent. In addition, the availability of the generation units reached 99.73 per cent, while the reliability of the generation units scored 99.96 per cent, exceeding global rates of 91%.

Safety first

In the time of Covid-19, the authority has also made safety a priority for its customers, staff and partners. Stringent precautionary measures has been implemented across its operations.

This supports the UAE’s efforts to limit the spread of Covid-19 and ensure business continuity. Dewa’s corporate agility plays a key role in overcoming the pandemic’s challenges, in addition to its effective leadership and partnerships, strong financial resources, technological leadership and its advanced digital system.