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Dewa on track with studies for Hatta power plant

DUBAI, October 4, 2017

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has completed 14 per cent of the engineering studies for the hydroelectric power station that will make use of the water stored in the Hatta Dam.

This is part of a consultancy contract, which covers all design, hydro-geological, geological, environmental, geotechnical, and deep excavation studies. It also includes consultancy on deep-water tunnel designs, the upper reservoir and hydroelectric power station, the tender for material supply, supervision of construction work, site installation, on-site testing and commissioning.

Dewa awarded the Dh58 million ($15.7 million) consultancy contract for the pumped-storage hydroelectric power station to France’s EDF. The project is the first of its kind in the Arabian Gulf, with a total capacity of 250MW, and a lifespan of 60 to 80 years.

“As part of our support for the Comprehensive Development Plan for Hatta, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, we have launched several projects, including the hydroelectric power station, at a cost of Dh 1.92 billion,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dewa.

“The hydroelectric power station will generate electricity by making use of the water in the Hatta Dam, which can store up to 1,716 million gallons, and an upper reservoir that will be built in the mountain that can store up to 880 million gallons.

The upper reservoir will be 300 metres above the dam level. During off-peak hours, turbines that use clean and cheap solar energy will pump water from the lower dam to the upper reservoir. During peak-load hours, when production costs are high, turbines operated by the speed of waterfall from the upper reservoir will be used to generate electricity and connect it to Dewa’s grid. The efficiency of power production will reach 90 per cent with a 90-second response to demand for electricity,” added Al Tayer.

“Our reliance on hydropower is part of our drive to achieve the objectives of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, to transform the Emirate into a global hub for clean energy and green economy, and to increase the share of clean energy mix in Dubai to 75 per cent by 2050.

“Hydropower, which is the generation of power by harnessing energy from moving water, is one of the main sources of renewable and clean energy in the world. In recent years, there have been significant global developments in hydropower. The total installed capacity has grown by 39 per cent from 2005 to 2015, with an average growth of about 4 per cent per year.

“The rise has been concentrated in emerging markets. In 2016, hydropower installed capacity reached 1,064 gigawatts (GW) globally, generating 71 per cent of all renewable electricity, and 16.4 per cent of the world’s electricity from all sources,” noted Al Tayer.

“In addition to being a low-cost reliable and efficient source of clean energy, hydropower is the most important source for energy storage. It is estimated that storage hydropower represents 99 per cent of the world’s operational electricity storage. Other benefits include water security, flood control, drought management, irrigation, and recreation. Hydropower is one of the most flexible and sustainable renewable energy sources. It can be operated to provide base-load power, as well as peak-load supply through pumped-storage. However, estimates indicate the availability of approximately 10,000TWh/year of unutilised hydropower potential worldwide,” said Al Tayer.

In 2015, pumped storage hydropower installed capacity worldwide was 144,465MW. East Asia uses this technology the most with an installed capacity of about 58GW. Japan’s installed capacity is 27,637MW and China’s installed capacity is 23,060MW. The Middle East’s pumped storage installed capacity is 1,744MW. – TradeArabia News Service




Tags: Dewa | power plant | Hatta dam |

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