Today's Edition
MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI)
Etihad Water and Electricity (EtihadWE) has allocated substantial funds to bolstering water distribution and transmission networks, with investments totalling approximately Dh5 billion over the past five years, said Youssef Souissi, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer at EtihadWE.
Looking ahead, the company plans to invest between Dh1.5 to Dh2 billion annually over the next five years to further strengthen infrastructure resilience and efficiency, Souissi told Aletihad on Wednesday during an interview on the sidelines of the World Future Energy Summit 2024, hosted by Masdar at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).
He noted that these investments aim to meet the growing demand in the Northern Emirates, mainly driven by population increase along with industrial and commercial growth.
Water, Energy Efficiency
Projects Souissi highlighted EtihadWE’s investments in the water infrastructure in the UAE, marked by significant expansions in its storage capacity, network length, and production capacity. Notably, EtihadWE stands as the sole utility in the UAE employing reverse osmosis (RO) for all water production operations, a technology known for its cost efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions, according to Souissi.
Key among EtihadWE’s investments in water is the “NAQA’A” project, one of the world’s largest RO desalination plants with a capacity of 150 MIGD (million imperial gallons per day). It was inaugurated in March in the Emirate of Umm Al Quwain by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court. Souissi underscored the collaborative efforts with partners, such as ACWA Power and Mubadala, in realising this monumental undertaking.
Boosting Efficiency through Tech Investments Technology plays a crucial role in the strategy of EtihadWE, with projects such as the water SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system aimed at optimising operational reliability and energy efficiency, noted Souissi.
He explained that this centralised command and control centre for water operations allows the company to monitor, control, and operate the entire network from a single location. This enhances the reliability of its services, ensuring continuous water availability, while also improving energy efficiency through optimising pumping and electricity usage.
Addressing Non-revenue
Water LossSouissi noted that EtihadWE is actively tackling issues related to non-revenue water loss through an integrated plan that involves a combination of rehabilitation programmes and innovative technologies, such as acoustic inspection.
Rehabilitation efforts focus on replacing outdated network segments, following strategic inspections to pinpoint areas of loss for cost-effective correction. The approach aims to avoid unnecessary overhauls, which can be very expensive, he said.
Souissi added that a pilot programme employing smart ball technology is also underway. This involves deploying a specialised ball which traverses the transmission pipes, detecting and logging sounds indicative of leaks. This data is then used to precisely locate the source of the loss, allowing for targeted corrective action.
In alignment with UAE’s net-zero goals, EtihadWE is spearheading initiatives in the energy sector. Souissi discussed a forthcoming announcement of a major electric vehicle (EV) charging project, in partnership with the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoEI), to deploy high-speed EV charging stations across the Northern Emirates.
EtihadWE is also working with the MoEI on regulations concerning distributed solar energy, particularly focusing on the installation of solar panels on rooftops in the Northern Emirates, he said.
During the WFES, EtihadWE leaders engaged in panel discussions and workshops to share crucial insights and forge partnerships within the industry.
Under its new status as a semi-government entity under the Emirates Investment Authority (EIA), Souissi stressed that EtihadWE remains committed to supporting the growth of the Northern Emirates through sustained power and water infrastructure development.
