Dubai has for the first time begun producing electricity from hydropower, a major milestone that marks both the emirate’s and the Gulf region’s entry into hydroelectric generation, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has revealed.
Trial operations at the AED 1.42 billion ($387 million) pumped-storage hydroelectric plant in Hatta have already generated more than 17,900 megawatt-hours, DEWA said in a statement.
The facility has a production capacity of 250 megawatts, enough to cover several times Hatta’s peak demand of 39 MW, with surplus power exported to Dubai.
“This project supports Dubai’s Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050,” said DEWA’s chief executive Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer during a site visit. He added that the facility has a lifespan of 80 years and can deliver power to the grid within 90 seconds.
Built 60 metres underground, the plant is the first of its kind in the Gulf and uses water stored in two reservoirs – the existing Hatta Dam and a newly constructed upper dam – to generate electricity. Water is released through a 1.2 km tunnel to drive turbines, with efficiency of nearly 79%. Solar power from Dubai’s Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park will be used to pump water back uphill for storage.
The project adds a new technology to Dubai’s growing clean energy portfolio, which already includes solar photovoltaic and concentrated solar power. By acting as a large-scale energy storage system, the hydro facility is expected to improve grid stability as renewables grow their share of supply.
