Hatta Hydroelectric Plant to begin supplying clean energy in April
Dubai: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) will begin exporting clean energy from its pumped-storage hydroelectric power plant in Hatta to Dubai for the first time in April 2025, according to Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA. The announcement observes the successful launch of operational tests in January 2025.
The project, the first of its kind in the GCC region, is now 96.82 percent complete. Designed to generate electricity using water stored in the Hatta Dam and a newly constructed upper dam in the mountains, the plant boasts a production capacity of 250 megawatts (MW), a storage capacity of 1,500 megawatt-hours, and a lifespan of up to 80 years. The total investment in the project amounts to $386.8 million (AED 1.421 billion).
Al Tayer highlighted that the hydroelectric plant aligns with Dubai’s Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050, which seek to transition the emirate’s entire power production to clean energy sources by mid-century.
The plant is a key element of DEWA’s broader strategy to diversify energy production, incorporating technologies such as solar photovoltaic panels, concentrated solar power, and renewable energy-driven green hydrogen production.
During a recent inspection of the facility, Al Tayer reviewed the progress of construction, including the thriving installation of generators. Trial operations are set to begin in the first quarter of 2025. He also inspected the upper dam, which features a 72-meter-high main wall and a 37-meter-high side dam, now filled in preparation for testing.
Designed as an energy storage facility, the hydroelectric power plant operates with a turnaround efficiency of 78.9 percent. The system functions by converting potential energy stored in the upper dam into kinetic energy as water flows through a 1.2-kilometer subterranean tunnel.
This movement spins turbines, generating electricity that can be supplied to DEWA’s grid within 90 seconds when required. To store energy, power from the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park will be used to pump water back to the upper dam, switching the process and ensuring a sustainable energy cycle.
The Hatta hydroelectric project describes a significant milestone in Dubai’s commitment to expanding its renewable energy portfolio and ensuring a sustainable future for the emirate’s power sector.
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