DEWA’s hydroelectric facility in Hatta has reached 94.15% completion

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has reported significant progress on its pumped-storage hydroelectric power plant in Hatta, reaching 94.15% completion. Generator installations are underway, with a trial run scheduled for the first quarter of 2025. The plant’s upper dam, featuring a 72-metre-high main wall and a 37-metre-high side dam, is now filled as part of the preparations.

This innovative facility is designed for energy storage, achieving a conversion efficiency of 78.9%. It utilizes stored water from the upper dam, turning potential energy into kinetic energy through a 1.2-kilometre underground tunnel, which then rotates turbines to generate electrical energy, ready for grid delivery in just 90 seconds. Energy storage is facilitated by clean power from the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which pumps water back to the upper dam, transforming electrical energy into kinetic energy in the process.

With a production capacity of 250 megawatts (MW) and a storage capacity of 1,500 megawatt-hours, the plant boasts a lifespan of up to 80 years. As the first project of its kind in the Arabian Gulf region, it represents an investment of AED 1.421 billion and is anticipated to be fully operational by the end of the second quarter of 2025.

This initiative aligns with a broader strategy to enhance Hatta’s sustainable development and create new job opportunities for Emirates. It supports Dubai’s Clean Energy Strategy and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy for 2050, aiming to expand energy production using renewable and clean sources. Technologies involved include solar photovoltaic panels, concentrated solar power, and the production of green hydrogen.