Dewa splashes out on new water desalination plants

Dubai: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) Wednesday said it has commissioned two units of the Dh1.15 billion power generation and water desalination plant, M Station — the biggest so far.

Saeed Al Tayer, Dewa Managing Director and CEO, said, "This station is one of the biggest projects done by the Dewa where electricity production capacity of this station amounts to 2000 MW and 140 gallons of desalinated water per day with an approximate cost of Dh1.15 billion. This station constitutes a basic pillar of Dewa's production capacity."

Dewa has seven stations for power generation and water desalination, while M Station in Jebel Ali comprises 10 gas turbines and eight water desalination units. The rest of the M Station units will be commissioned in phases by next year.

"Two gas turbines have come into service during the first quarter of this year with production capacity of 200 megawatts (MW) each. Besides, during the second quarter of this year two water desalination units have come into service with production capacity of 17.5 million imperial gallons (MIGD) per day each unit and with a total of 35 MIGD of desalinated water per day, in addition to one assisting boiler," Al Tayer told Gulf News.

In the coming months, another two gas turbines with a total production capacity of 400 MW, and two desalination units with a total production capacity of 35 million gallons, plus four auxiliary boilers will be commissioned which will boost water and power generation capacity.

Dewa witnessed a 9.6 per cent increase in the peak load of electricity up to 6161 MW compared to 5622 MW the same period in 2009.

"Moreover, maximum demand for water increased this year at 5.9 per cent by 287 MIGD compared with 271 MIGD of last year," Al Tayer remarked.

"The consistent expansion in electricity and water networks transmission and distribution is a clear sign of the development and the industrial and urbanisation growth in Dubai. Dewa is currently working on completing six substations with a power capacity of 400 kV and 56 others with a power capacity of 132 kV during the first quarter of this year," he said.

The total installed capacity of the current production is 7,830 MW for power and 330 MIGD water per day, Al Tayer added.

Dewa has 530,998 customers, of which 375,391 are residential.

• Dh1.15b approximate cost of station
• 8 desalination units in M Station, Jebel Ali