Work progresses on UAE's 250-MW pumped hydro project

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has completed about 58.48% of the work on the construction of the 250-MW/1,500 MWh Hatta pumped-storage hydroelectric power project in the UAE.

The water intake in the Hatta Dam connected to the power generators site and the construction of the 72-metre main roller compacted concrete wall of the upper dam have been completed, DEWA said on Monday. The concrete lining of the water tunnel, which is 1.2 km (0.74 mi) long and connects the two dams, is also complete.

The facility, located near the community of Hatta in the Hajar Mountains, about 140 km southeast of the city of Dubai, will be the first of its kind in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and its completion is planned for the final quarter of 2024.

Once operational, the plant will store energy with a turnaround efficiency of 78.9% and a life span of about 80 years.

The project supports Dubai's strategy to provide 100% of its total power production capacity from clean energy sources by 2050, DEWA's chief executive Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer said during a visit to the construction site.

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