Dubai: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has announced the launch of an Automatic Smart Grid Restoration System (ASGR), the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, to increase the control, management and monitoring of its power network.
The system works around the clock without any human intervention. It uses a smart, innovative nd central system that locates the fault in the power network, isolates it, and automatically restores the service. This improves grid automation, fault detection and retrieval of connections. It also supports DEWA’s efforts to maintain supplies according to the highest standards of reliability, accountability, and efficiency.
‘Investment of Dh7 billion’
Speaking on the occasion, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of DEWA, said: “The Smart Grid is an integral part of DEWA’s strategy to develop state-of-the-art infrastructure for managing facilities and services using disruptive technologies and Fourth Industrial Revolution applications. DEWA’s Smart Grid programme, with investments totaling Dh7 billion, supports the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Emissions Strategy 2050 to provide 100 per cent of the energy production capacity from clean energy sources by 2050.”
‘One of the best utility service providers worldwide’
“DEWA’s adoption of the latest international technologies in power generation, transmission and distribution has made it one of the best utility service providers worldwide. In 2021, DEWA achieved a new world record in electricity Customer Minutes Lost (CML) per year. Dubai recorded 1.43 minutes per customer, compared to around 15 minutes by leading utility companies in the European Union. This highlights DEWA’s ability to restore power during faults or unplanned outages. The percentage of losses in the electricity transmission and distribution networks in Dubai was 3.3 per cent, compared to 6-7 per cent in Europe and the US,” he added.
Hussain Lootah, executive vice-president of Transmission Power at DEWA, said that the total value of DEWA’s investments in electricity transmission projects between 2021 and 2024 is Dh10 billion. This includes Dh2 billion for 400kv transmission projects and Dh8 billion for 132kv projects.
