DEWA begins trial operations at Dhs1.42bn Hatta hydroelectric power plant

HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) during his visit of the hydroelectric power plant in Hatta/Image: Supplied

HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), has announced the start of trial operations and electricity export from the pumped-storage hydroelectric power plant in Hatta to Dubai. The announcement came during his visit to the project site to review progress in the final stages of work. During operational testing, the plant generated more than 17,921 megawatt-hours of electricity.

The Hatta hydroelectric plant will have a production capacity of 250 megawatts (MW), a storage capacity of 1,500 megawatt-hours, and a lifespan of up to 80 years. Peak electricity demand in Hatta is approximately 39 MW, with the surplus to be exported to Dubai.

Al Tayer was accompanied by Nasser Lootah, Executive Vice President of Generation (Power & Water) at DEWA; Khalifa Al Bedwawi, Project Manager; and other members of the project team.

Al Tayer affirmed that the project aligns with the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to achieve comprehensive and sustainable development across the emirate. It also supports the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net-Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050, which aim to provide 100 per cent of Dubai’s total energy production capacity from clean sources by 2050.

During the visit, Al Tayer toured the underground power generation station, built 60 metres below ground level, and inspected the operation of the two main water valves, each weighing around 110 tonnes. He also visited the station’s command and control centre and observed operational tests for water pumping and power generation.

Read: Saeed Al Tayer on DEWA’s clean energy and AI transformation

The visit included the upper dam, constructed by DEWA as part of the project, featuring a total water surface area of 210,000 square metres. The dam comprises two compressed concrete walls — a main wall measuring 72 metres in height and 225 metres in length, and a side wall 37 metres high. The upper dam has a storage capacity of approximately 5.3 million cubic metres (1,166 million gallons) of water.

Al Tayer highlighted that the Dhs1.42bn hydroelectric plant forms part of DEWA’s broader efforts to diversify Dubai’s clean energy portfolio. These include technologies such as solar photovoltaic panels, concentrated solar power, and energy storage in batteries.

The plant generates electricity by using water stored in the Hatta Dam and upper dam, operating with a turnaround efficiency of 78.9 per cent. Water stored in the upper dam flows through a 1.2-kilometre subterranean tunnel, converting potential energy into kinetic energy that drives turbines to produce electricity. Power can be supplied to DEWA’s grid within 90 seconds to meet demand.

To store energy, clean power generated at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park will be used to pump water back to the upper dam, converting electrical energy into kinetic energy — a process that ensures sustainable, renewable energy storage for decades to come.