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DUBAI / WAM
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) visited the hydroelectric power station in Hatta to review work progress of the project, which is the first of its kind in the GCC region.
According to Dewa, the 250MW station will generate electricity by making use of the water stored in Hatta Dam and it will have a storage capacity of 1,500 MWh and a life span of 80 years.
Al Tayer toured the Visitors’ Centre and checked the hydropower plant units. He was briefed about the service tunnelling operations which were complete. Each tunnel is 500 metre long.
The visit also included inspecting the construction works progress of the project’s upper dam. The hydroelectric power station will use water in the Hatta Dam and an upper reservoir that is being built in the mountain.
Al Tayer emphasised the importance of protecting the Hatta Natural Reserve, noting that the project uses the latest and safest drilling technologies to fit Hatta’s geological features while following the highest international environmental standards. The project has so far included more than 2,100,000 safe working hours without injuries.
The hydropower plant mechanism includes the use of advanced turbines to pump water from the dam to the upper reservoir during off-peak hours. Turbines operated by the speed of waterfall from the upper reservoir will be used to generate electricity through a 1.2 kilometre subterranean water canal, with high efficiency in power
generation and storage, and
with a 90-second response to
demand for electricity.