Dewa signs deal to build hydro storage station

abu dhabi — Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the GCC Interconnection Authority (GCCIA) and the Belgian Dredging, Environmental & Marine Engineering Group (DEME).

The MoA aims to study building a 400MW pumped hydro storage power station in the Arabian Gulf, with a storage capacity of approximately 2,500MWh. This is part of Dewa’s efforts to diversify the energy mix and enhance energy storage technologies.

The MoA was signed by Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dewa, Ahmed Al Ebrahim, CEO of GCCIA, and Bernard Paquot, Area Director, Dredging International NV/DEME Group. The signing ceremony was attended by Bart Tommelein, Flemish Minister of Budget, Finance and Energy in Belgium, Dominique Minor, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to the UAE, Dr Matar Al Neyadi, Undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Energy, and senior officials from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Belgium The MoA was signed during Dewa’s participation at the World Future Energy Summit 2018.

“The MoA will study the economic and environmental feasibility of constructing a pumped hydro storage island in the Arabian Gulf supports our efforts to diversify energy sources and enhance storage technologies. This supports the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 to make Dubai a global hub for clean energy and green economy, and provide 75 per cent of Dubai’s total power output from clean energy by 2050,” said Al Tayer.

— business@khaleejtimes.com