(EnergyAsia, March 2 2012, Friday) — Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) said it has launched two main 400/132KV substations and extended overhead lines at total cost of 900 million dirham. (US$1=3.7 dirham).

Work on the two substations at Al Aweer and Meydan included extending 400KV overhead lines throughout Mushrif, Warsan, Meydan and Jebel Ali.

DEWA is implementing these and other utility projects as part of a long-term programme to meet Dubai’s strategic plan to expand and upgrade infrastructure to meet the emirate’s rising energy demand. The substations are the backbone of DEWA’s power transmission grids.

“In line with the directives of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, to promote Dubai’s leading position in the region as a global hub for finance, business and tourism, DEWA is enhancing the efficiency of its power grids through a series of key projects to support its infrastructure,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, DEWA’s managing director and CEO.

“These substations apply state-of-the-art digital technologies for transformers to improve the reliability and efficiency of its operations, which will drive its efforts to achieve sustainable development.”