DUBAI, 11th April, 2022 (WAM) — Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Abu Dhabi Transmission and Despatch Company (TRANSCO), a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA Group), will install three interconnections that can transfer 117 MIGD to different areas in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, supporting reliable water supplies to customers across the nation.
The move reinforces a shared national goal for creating strategic water interconnections in the UAE.
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA, said that this partnership supports water security in the UAE and increases the reliability and efficiency of the water network to meet the UAE Water Security Strategy 2036 objective to ensure sustainable access to water during both normal and emergency conditions. The strategic water interconnection projects will help avoid crises and water shortages. They will also help in efforts to raise the efficiency and operational capacity of water networks to promote sustainable development in the UAE.
“Water security is a national security issue for the UAE and is one of the seven strategic sectors of the National Innovation Strategy launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. Dubai has a comprehensive approach to ensure the sustainability of water resources, in line with the Dubai Integrated Water Resource Management Strategy 2030, which focuses on enhancing water resources, rationing water consumption, and using cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions to reduce water consumption,” Al Tayer added.
Commenting on the strategic water interconnection projects between DEWA and TRANSCO, Ahmed Mohamed Al Rumaithi, Under-Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy, said, “Water security is critical to our nation’s health, social and economic stability. In line with the UAE Water Security Strategy 2036, Abu Dhabi continues to expand its water infrastructure, and is leveraging new desalination technologies, brine reduction techniques, and water demand management strategies to improve water security and support a green transition.
“We recognise the importance of making water more sustainable and view national collaborations as imperative to ensure UAE water security. The strategic water interconnection projects between Dubai and Abu Dhabi present a significant opportunity to maximise the provision of a sufficient supply of potable water at a national scale, while also mitigating climate change risks to water availability, quality, and quantity,” Al Rumaithi added.
Dr. Afif Saif Al Yafei, CEO of TRANSCO, noted, “In 2021, TRANSCO delivered water through more than 3,500 kilometres of water pipelines, ensuring reliability, in line with the highest international benchmarks. We also completed 23 projects worth AED 3.3 billion, which included integrating with our network the first potable water from the Taweelah Reverse Osmosis plant, one of the largest in the world. We are proud of the role we play in meeting customer demands and making the UAE’s energy goals a reality by modernising power and water infrastructure and partnering with key stakeholders.”
