16 new substations were opened in 2021 at an investment of US $797m, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has announced. This includes fourteen 132kV stations with a conversion capacity of 2,100 megavolt amperes and two 400kV stations with 4,000 megavolt amperes in the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park and Al Quoz 2.

DEWA said it also installed 222km of 400kV overhead transmission lines and 97km of 132kV ground cables to connect the substations to the main transmission network. These stations supply Satwa, Palm Deira, Jebel Ali Industrial 1, Umm Al Daman, Al Barsha First, Al Barsha South Third, Mirdif, Wadi Al Safa 2, Al Khiran First, Al Ruwayah Third, Al Quoz Third, and Business Bay Crossing, it stated.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA said the total value of the firm’s investments in existing and completed electricity transmission projects in 2021 reached $2.59bn. This included $545m for key 400 kV transmission projects and $2bn for 132 kV projects.

Hussain Lootah, EVP (Transmission Power) at DEWA said that completing these substations required more than 25m safe working hours using the latest global technologies, while ensuring the highest safety and security standards. The total number of 132 kV substations had reached 321 stations with 33 under construction, he concluded.