Prime Highlights:
- DEWA begins trial operations of Hatta pumped-storage hydroelectric plant as part of Dubai’s clean energy transition.
- The facility has already generated 17,921 MWh during testing and started supplying electricity to the grid.
Key Facts:
- Project built at a cost of AED 1.42 billion, with a production capacity of 250 MW and storage capacity of 1,500 MWh.
- Underground station is located 60 metres below ground, while the upper dam spans 210,000 sq. m and stores 5.3 million cubic metres of water.
Background:
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has begun test runs of its pumped-storage hydroelectric power station in Hatta as part of its ongoing transition to clean energy in the Emirate. During testing, the facility has already started transmitting power to the grid.
HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, confirmed the milestone during a site inspection of the project’s final stages. He noted that the station has already generated 17,921 megawatt-hours (MWh) during trials. Once fully commissioned, the plant will have the ability to produce 250 megawatts (MW) of electricity, store 1,500 MWh, and operate for an estimated 80 years. With Hatta’s local demand at just 39 MW, excess power will flow into Dubai’s grid.
The AED 1.42 billion project supports both the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net-Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050, initiatives that target achieving full reliance on clean power sources by mid-century.
Al Tayer visited the underground generation facility, built 60 metres beneath the surface, where he reviewed trials of the pumping and power systems. He also examined the upper dam, which spans about 210,000 square metres and has the capacity to hold nearly 5.3 million cubic metres of water.
The hydroelectric facility achieves 78.9% efficiency, using water from the upper dam and Hatta Dam. Through a 1.2-kilometre tunnel, stored water is released to drive turbines, allowing the plant to supply power to DEWA’s grid in under 90 seconds. Renewable energy from the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park will be used to pump water back into the upper reservoir, ensuring sustainable operations.
Officials said the project forms part of DEWA’s wider plan to diversify Dubai’s energy portfolio through solar power, advanced storage technologies, and other clean energy solutions.
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