Government-owned utility Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) could have to ask for further funding to finance a power plant expansion project scheduled to start next year
DEWA chief executive officer Saeed Al Tayer said the company has plans to add two natural gas turbines to its M Station facility in a project that should start in 2014.
Al Tayer, however, did not say how much funding the project would need to add 400MW of generation capacity or when the utility might need the funds.
Dubai has plans of boosting generating capacity to meet demand that is rising at close to five per cent per year and develop new energy sources to lessen reliance on gas.
DEWA is also planning to hire private companies to develop and run a 100MW solar power plant as the next step in its renewable-energy ambition, Al Tayer said.
The company will build a 13MW solar facility scheduled to be completed in October 2014 and will give further details on the new project later this year, he said.
By 2030, Dubai seeks to generate 12 per cent of its power from coal, to buy another 12 per cent from Abu Dhabi?s planned nuclear facilities and to generate five per cent from renewable energy. The balance will continue to come from gas, according to a strategic plan the emirate had announced in 2011.
