Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has announced significant progress on its pumped-storage hydroelectric power plant in Hatta, now 94.15 percent complete. The ambitious project, which will be the first of its kind in the Arabian Gulf region, is moving swiftly toward its scheduled trial operation in the first quarter of 2025, with the installation of power generators well underway.

The project’s upper dam, a critical component featuring a 72-metre-high main wall and a 37-metre-high side dam, has been fully filled as DEWA readies the plant for energy production. The hydroelectric facility, which harnesses the potential energy of stored water, promises a turnaround efficiency of 78.9 percent. When operational, water will flow through a 1.2-kilometre tunnel, generating kinetic energy that drives turbines to convert mechanical energy into electrical power. DEWA estimates that the plant will be capable of delivering electricity to its grid within just 90 seconds to respond to demand.

The hydro plant is designed to complement Dubai’s renewable energy ecosystem by using clean energy generated at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park to pump water back into the upper dam, creating a cycle of sustainable energy storage and conversion. With a capacity to produce 250 megawatts (MW) and store 1,500 megawatt-hours, the plant is expected to operate for up to 80 years. The project represents a total investment of AED1.421 billion and is scheduled for full completion by the end of the second quarter of 2025.

This pioneering development is part of a larger plan to boost Hatta’s sustainable growth and create employment opportunities for Emiratis. The Hatta hydro plant also aligns with Dubai’s Clean Energy Strategy and the Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050, both of which target a diversified energy production portfolio powered by renewable sources. Through this initiative, DEWA is advancing its commitment to green energy technologies, including solar photovoltaic panels, concentrated solar power, and the innovative use of renewable energy in producing green hydrogen.

DEWA’s Hatta hydroelectric project not only supports Dubai’s clean energy ambitions but also establishes a renewable energy model for the wider Gulf region.