Dubai to build Persian Gulf’s first hydroelectric plant, 880 million gallon ‘battery’

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) announced on Tuesday that it plans to build a hydroelectric power plant in Hatta, Dubai. The plant will not only be the nation’s first hydro electric plant, but also the region’s first. The organization also announced that they have other green energy programs in the works.

The plant will make use of the 1,716 million gallons water stored in the Hatta Dam to generate electricity. It will also see the construction of an upper reservoir that will be built in the mountain 300 meters above dam level, which will be able to store up to 880 million gallons.

The 250 MW power station will make use of falling water passing through turbines to generate electricity during peak hours. During off-peak hours, the station will utilize solar energy to pump water back up to the upper reservoir. The power station will be connected to the DEWA grid and will be able to send power directly to it. The energy storage system is effectively a huge battery.

The entire station is planned to be completed within five years.

In addition to the hydro electric plant, the organization has several other green energy projects in the works, including the creation of electric vehicle charging stations and the installation of solar panels on existing rooftops throughout Hatta.

DEWA expects that in addition to providing a reliable source of clean energy, the projects will also create hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs. According to Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, CEO of DEWA, the projects “will create 200 permanent technical, administrative and operational jobs in Hatta. Another 300 jobs are expected to be created by the Visitor Centre, and other outdoor activities and tourist facilities associated with the project. Over 2,000 jobs will be available during the implementation phase.”

The projects are all part of the organization’s plan to fulfill the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050. In order to do so, the country would need to produce 7% of it’s total power from clean energy sources by the year 2020, 25% by 2030, and 75% by 2050.

With projects like these in the works, it looks like DEWA is on the right track to meet that goal.

Featured image courtesy of Rezgo