The Gulf region's first-ever hydroelectric power plant, located at Hatta Dam in Dubai, has achieved 6.5 percent completion, it was announced on Wednesday.

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) said in a press statement that tunneling operations for the 250-megawatt hydroelectric station have started.

The statement said the power station would use water in the Hatta Dam and an upper reservoir that will be built in the mountains. During off-peak hours, advanced turbines will use solar power to pump water from the dam to the upper reservoir. The turbines operated by the speed of waterfall from the upper reservoir would be used to generate electricity through a 1.2-kilometre subterranean water canal, with high efficiency in power generation and storage, and a 90-second response to demand for electricity.

The pumped-storage project, which is being developed at a total investment of around 1.421 billion dirhams ($387 million) , would have a storage capacity of 1,500 MWh and a life span of 80 years.

In August 2019, DEWA had awarded the construction contract for the project to a consortium of Strabag AG; Strabag Dubai; Andritz Hydro, and Ozkar.

Électricité de France (EDF) is the consultant of the project, which is scheduled to be commissioned by February 2024.

(Writing by Madhura Deulgaonkar; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@refinitiv.com)

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