Hatta Hydroelectric Plant Begins Trial Operations with DEWA
DEWA has begun trial operations and electricity export from the pumped-storage hydroelectric plant in Hatta. Moreover, testing produced more than 17,921 megawatt-hours of energy to date. Consequently, the facility will help balance local demand and export surplus power to Dubai.
Design and capacity
The plant produces up to 250 megawatts and stores 1,500 megawatt-hours. Additionally, it is designed for a service life of up to 80 years. Peak electricity demand in Hatta is about 39 MW, so surplus capacity will flow to Dubai. The underground power station sits roughly 60 metres below ground level, and it houses two main water valves weighing about 110 tonnes each. Furthermore, the upper dam covers a water surface area of 210,000 square metres. The dam uses two compressed concrete walls: a main wall 72 metres high and 225 metres long, plus a 37-metre side wall. In total, the upper dam stores approximately 5.3 million cubic metres of water.
Operation and grid integration
The project converts stored water potential into kinetic energy through a 1.2-kilometre subterranean tunnel. Then, turbines convert mechanical energy into electricity that can be delivered to DEWA’s grid within 90 seconds. The system achieves a turnaround efficiency of about 78.9 percent, which supports fast-response load balancing. In addition, surplus clean power from Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park will pump water back to the upper dam for storage. Therefore, the facility helps integrate renewable generation with reliable storage and fast dispatch.
The project involved an investment of approximately AED 1.42 billion, and it aligns with Dubai’s clean energy and net-zero strategies for 2050. Finally, the Hatta pumped-storage plant strengthens the emirate’s capacity to deliver sustainable, resilient electricity for decades to come.
