Consortium awarded Dh1.4bn Hatta power station project

Hydro-electric project is the first of its kind in the Arabian Gulf and will generate 250 megawatts

This picture taken on February 15, 2019 shows an Emirati national flag flying over the  reservoir at the Hatta Dam where kayaks and boats are cruising, in the Dubai emirate's exclave of Hatta, near the Omani border. Some 100 kilometres from Dubai's skyscrapers, "glamping" in luxurious trailer-style set-ups and mountainside lodgings is the next big thing in the desert country. Betting on tourism at a time of low oil prices, Dubai has pushed a blend of camping and luxury hotels -- "glamping", short for "glamourous camping". The city welcomed a record 15.92 million visitors in 2018, many of whom were drawn to its mega malls, luxurious hotels and pristine beaches. / AFP / KARIM SAHIB
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Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) awarded the Strabag Dubai, Strabag, Andritz Hydro and Ozkar consortium the construction contract for a Dh1.43 billion pumped-storage hydroelectric power station at Hatta, state news agency Wam reported.

The project, part of the Comprehensive Development Plan for Hatta, is the first of its kind in the Arabian Gulf and will generate 250 megawatts. It is expected to operate for up to 80 years and is scheduled to be commissioned by February 2024, according to Wam. French power group EDF has been appointed as the consultant.

The plant is designed to diversify the energy mix and support the economic, social and environmental development of Hatta. It will help to achieve the goals of the Dubai Clean Energy 2050 strategy to provide 75 per cent of Dubai’s total power output from clean energy by 2050, Wam reported.

"This Dh1.43bn pumped-storage hydroelectric power station project is part of our efforts, initiatives and plans to achieve the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai," said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, chief executive of Dewa.

The hydroelectric power station will use water from the Hatta Dam, to be stored in an upper reservoir that will be built near the site. Turbines will use power from the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park to pump water from the dam to the upper reservoir.

As that water flows from the upper reservoir it will generate electricity as required.