Abu Dhabi to commit 250 billion dirhams investment to power the next decade of growth

Abu Dhabi- Abu Dhabi is committing Dh250 billion to expand the power of water and district cooling networks over the next 10 years, according to Dr. Abdulla Humaid Al Jarwan, Chairman of the Department of Energy, Abu Dhabi, at LIVEX 2026.

Speaking in a live conversation with Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi, Al Jarwan said the investment would double the emirate's power demand, while supporting communities, hospitals, schools, universities and new neighbourhoods. He said the value of the whole programme would be "much greater than the sum of the parts".

He added that the infrastructure must be built to last and should improve as it grows. To deliver that, the emirate needs a well-crafted plan backed by financial discipline, and the systems it builds must be secure, sustainable, and affordable.

Clean power growth

Al Jarwan pointed to the emirate's recent progress as evidence that sustainability and affordability can advance together. Ten years ago, clean and sustainable power made up less than 1 per cent of Abu Dhabi's energy mix.

Today, he said, it exceeds 5 per cent, even as total power production has continued to grow.

“While growing the total amount of production of power to fuel up the economy, to support communities, to make sure that the power is available for the next neighbourhood, the next hospital, nursery, school, university,” he said.

Al Jarwan also touched on the emirate's water strategy, which supports its extensive green spaces. He told the audience that Abu Dhabi draws on six sources: desalinated water, groundwater, harvested rainwater, efficiency gains, recycled water, and lowered consumption by residents.

The carbon footprint of water production had fallen by 20 per cent over the past decade, according to him, while the costs dropped by 50 per cent. Notably, per capita consumption had fallen by 50 per cent over the past five years.

One city approach

Decisions on such infrastructure, he said, are taken jointly by the Department of Energy, the Department of Municipalities and Transport, and other stakeholders, reflecting a "one city" approach.

The officials emphasised that the government functions with well-crafted plan and financial discipline. They also emphasised that they work under a singular urban plan that is overseen by the UAE municipality, in cooperation with relevant stakeholder.

“As much as information and data we are collecting, we're collecting it to basically make use for the future,” said Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman, Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi