World Bank team praises DEWA's innovative projects

A visiting World Bank delegation has expressed admiration and appreciation for the leading and innovative projects of the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, DEWA.
The delegation also praised DEWA's competitive results and how it had enhanced its position as a global role model in its efforts to implement smart applications and systems. It allowed DEWA to surpass European and American companies in efficiency and reliability and enhanced Dubai and the UAE's position as a global hub for trade, finance, and tourism, the delegation added.
The high-level delegation, led by Dr. Nadir Abdellatif Mohammed, Regional Director of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Middle East and North Africa, MENA, made the remarks during a meeting with Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of DEWA.
The visit is part of DEWA's continuing co-operation with the World Bank, updating them on the latest achievements, initiatives and projects of DEWA to help achieve the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to improve government services and performance, encourage a culture of innovation, and spread it as a standard procedure. The aim was also to develop government services, overcome challenges, and contribute to improving administrative government work, while enhancing a culture of innovation and sustainability.
"We constantly work in adherence with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid to implement the objectives set by the Dubai Future Agenda, as the framework to shape and predict the future of Dubai, and the UAE's strategic sectors. We strive to make our citizens and residents happier, enhance their satisfaction with our services, and improve the competitiveness and excellence of the UAE," Al Tayer said.
"We adhere to a clear and integrated strategy based on innovation, and work to further implement new initiatives, while continuously supporting Research and Development projects, to cope with rapid technological developments, through inventing technological solutions and improving clean energy technologies, to achieve our strategic vision and plans in different fields, including smart electricity and water networks," Al Tayer added.
The UAE, represented by DEWA, has been ranked 1st in the Middle East and North Africa, and 4th globally for receiving electricity, for the fourth consecutive year, according to the World Bank's Doing Business 2016 report, which measures doing business in 189 countries around the world. The UAE has achieved this despite expanding the focus of the indicator sets in the report to be more comprehensive.
DEWA's customer minutes lost per year in 2014 was 3.87 minutes, compared to 15 minutes recorded by leading utilities in the European Union and the United States, US. Losses in power transmission and distribution networks decreased to 3.3 percent, as compared to 6 to 7 percent in Europe and the US. Water network losses decreased to 8.26 percent, compared to 15 percent in North America and Europe," Al Tayer continued.
"DEWA is contributing to the development of all Expo 2020 facilities and services. With Shams Dubai contributing power from solar arrays installed on Expo 2020's buildings. The expo will also have three different types of electric vehicle charging stations from the Green Charger initiative. As part of the Smart Applications and Smart Meters initiative's, DEWA is building a smart grid that is set to be the first network in the world that covers the generation, transmission, and distribution systems to customers," Al Tayer said in conclusion.

• Dubai