Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (Dewa) has approved a total budget of Dh22.9 billion ($6.23 billion) for the upcoming year compared to Dh20.6 billion ($5.6 billion) in 2014.

The new budget ensures a reliable supply of electricity and water to meet the UAE emirate's development plans in all its operations in alignment with the directives of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said a statement from the Dubai utility.

According to Dewa, the budget will enable the authority to adopt the best and latest technologies across all its operations to maintain its leading position on a national and international level by providing electricity and water at the highest levels of reliability, efficiency, safety, and sustainability.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, the managing director and chief executive officer, said a total of Dh8.28 billion ($2.25 billion) had been allocated for capital purchases and projects compared to Dh7.06 billion ($1.92 billion) in 2014.

The 2015 budget includes a number of key projects, the most prominent of which is increasing production capacity of the electricity generation and water desalination plant at K-Station in Jebel Ali by adding two gas turbines to generate 500 MW, revealed Al Tayer.

The production capacity of the electricity and water generation plant at M-Station in Jebel Ali will also be increased by 700 MW, he added.

The other projects include building 12 new 132 kV substations, extending 272 km of 132 kV cables, other power transmission and distribution projects, and smart communication networks.

Al Tayer pointed out that about Dh590 million ($160.6 million) has been set aside for water network projects including water reservoirs and transmission networks.

According to Al Tayer, Dh175 million ($47 million) has been dedicated for development of water network. This includes extending new networks and introducing a district meter system to monitor leakage and reduce water losses, he stated.

Dewa’s operational budget for the upcoming year is Dh13.5 billion ($3.67 billion), compared to Dh13.2 billion ($3.59 billion) in 2014. The administrative capital budget has been increased to Dh1.38 billion ($376 million) from Dh352 million ($96 million), he added.-TradeArabia News Service