World Utilities Congress returns to Abu Dhabi on 8 May 2023

The WUC returns to Abu Dhabi on 8 May. (Image source: World Utilities Congress)

The Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA) will host the second edition of the World Utilities Congress from 8 -10 May, this year

Held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), the congress will focus on the utilities sector’s response to net zero ahead of COP28. It will feature strategic and technical conferences as well as a Nuclear Energy Forum. The event will provide an essential platform to assess the progress that has already been made, and lay the groundwork for the critical conversations that will take place at COP.

The exhibition and conference will bring together important international stakeholders, including policymakers, business leaders, investors, and innovators, for an insightful discussion on how the utilities sector can drive the change necessary to meet climate targets. The theme will be balancing energy security with affordability and net-zero goals. ​

Attendees will include more than 10,000 business people, 250 leading experts, 150 exhibiting businesses, and 1,000 other visitors from all points along the utilities value chain.

This includes EDF, Engie, Baker Hughes, Huawei, ABB, Westinghouse, Tabreed, Ansaldo Energia, Exxon Mobil, Schneider Electric, and Abu Dhabi Sewerage Services, who will showcase their products, innovations and latest technology solutions in power generation, transmission and distribution, nuclear energy, water management and desalination.

Government ministers, policymakers, and leaders in the utilities sector will come together during the strategic and technical conferences to exchange knowledge, strategies, and cutting-edge solutions to the industry's main problems: balancing affordability and dependability with environmental sustainability. Dr Afif Saif Al Yafei, the CEO of TRANSCO, TAQA's wholly owned infrastructure business, is serving as the technical committee's chair.

Jasim Husain Thabet, group CEO and managing director of TAQA, said, “TAQA Group is proud to welcome the global utilities sector to the UAE once again for the World Utilities Congress. This global gathering with our peers is more important than ever as we approach COP28, to bring together all players across the utilities value chain to address the urgent needs of climate change and decarbonisation, whilst balancing continued energy security and affordability.

As the low carbon power and water champion of Abu Dhabi and beyond, I would like to thank His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council for his leadership and ongoing support of the Congress and we very much look forward to building on the success of last year’s event, and we believe this edition will play an even more crucial role in enabling industry leaders and key policymakers to cooperate and form productive partnerships.”

Christopher Hudson, president of global energy, dmg Events, said, “We are very excited about the return of the World Utilities Congress this May. Abu Dhabi is a global energy and logistics hub and a gateway to the growing economies of the MENA region and Asia, making it the perfect host city for this event.” 

The free to attend Nuclear Energy Forum, sponsored by Atkins Global, Urenco, and Westinghouse, will concentrate on the importance of nuclear energy in attaining net-zero and energy security as well as the new and emerging technologies influencing the nuclear sector.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, the conference is being organised by dmg Events. 

The event is also supported by the UAE’s Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE), Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC).