Dewa to expand infrastructure

Dubai: The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) yesterday signed six contracts with a combined value of Dh3.13 billion to expand the emirate's utility infrastructure.

Of these, France's Areva T&D SA received the biggest contract, worth Dh1.03 billion, to supply, install, test and commission three 132/11 KV substations.

In line with Dewa's master-plan, we found that there is a need to develop our infrastructure and to produce adequate amounts of water and electricity.

Dewa, Dubai's lone power and desalinated water producer, powers more than 530,000 customers with electricity while the number of water customers stands at 469,000, part of a 1.5 million population.

Dewa plans to launch a roadshow to raise $1.5 billion through a bond programme from March 15 in Europe and the United States, to power its future projects. The government will not guarantee the bonds.