Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is undertaking a significant upgrade of the emirate’s power infrastructure in 2025, with substantial investments in high-voltage substations and underground transmission, supporting the city’s rapid urban and economic growth.
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has really ramped up efforts to upgrade the emirate’s power grid, with new high-voltage substations being commissioned in 2025, all while continuing a substantial infrastructure program quite valued at over AED 8.5 billion.
As per a statement on DEWA’s official website, the utility brought into service eight 132kV substations and two 400kV substations throughout the year. This expansion aims to strengthen Dubai’s electricity transmission system at a vital time, when the city is rapidly growing its population, developing new residential neighborhoods, and attracting big commercial projects.
By the end of 2025, DEWA reported that Dubai had a total of 394 operational substations, which includes 27 400kV substations and 367 132kV substations. This highlights the sheer size of Dubai’s high-voltage network and underscores how crucial it is for maintaining stable power supply amid ongoing urban expansion.
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, DEWA’s managing director and CEO, mentioned that these projects support the UAE leadership’s vision for a modern energy infrastructure capable of supporting economic growth and long-term development. Interestingly enough, this trend reflects a broader approach in Dubai, where the focus is on planning ahead rather than just reacting to shortages.
The pipeline of upcoming projects is quite impressive. DEWA stated that ongoing initiatives are valued at more than AED 8.5 billion and include 52 more 132kV substations, two additional 400kV substations, 223 kilometers of underground transmission cables, and 130 kilometers of overhead lines. The goal is to wrap up these developments by 2028.
Hussain Lootah, DEWA’s executive vice president of transmission power, explained that in 2025, the utility also carried out extensive network upgrades. They installed around 250 kilometers of underground cables and overhead lines, costing over AED 1.35 billion. These efforts spanned several key locations including Hatta, Warsan-4, Al Yalayis-5, Saih Shuaib-3, Al Hebiah-5, and Jebel Ali First, all part of Dubai’s broader expansion blueprint.
The sequence of these projects clearly demonstrates how DEWA is balancing short-term demand with longer-term resilience. For example, during the first half of 2025, they commissioned four 132kV substations, which combined offer a capacity of around 450 MVA and cost AED 725 million. Later reports suggest that the total value of transmission projects has surpassed AED 7.6 billion, climbing even further to over AED 8.5 billion.
This expansion also mirrors the steady growth of Dubai’s lower-voltage distribution network. DEWA mentioned that in April 2025, they had commissioned 1,530 new 11kV distribution substations in 2024 alone, bringing the total number of medium-voltage substations to 45,317 by year’s end. It’s another sign that infrastructure growth is keeping pace with the city’s economic and urban development.
There’s also a noteworthy housing component to this ongoing investment wave. DEWA has initiated five projects to develop major 132kV substations for new residential communities like Latifa City, Al Awir First, and Al Khawaneej Second. The estimated cost of these schemes is around AED 560 million. They’re intended not just to serve new neighborhoods but to support future electricity demands and enhance the overall grid’s resilience.
The geographic distribution of these projects points to a deliberate focus on new development corridors as well as established districts. Construction activities in areas such as Al Yalayis and Saih Shuaib are aimed at boosting industrial and logistical growth, while projects tied to new housing areas are designed to ensure that residential expansion benefits from immediate power capacity.
DEWA has also indicated plans to build at least 78 substations of similar scale over the next three years, which means 2025 isn’t an endpoint but part of a longer-term investment cycle. And honestly, it’s pretty clear that Dubai’s infrastructure development can’t just stop, given the pipeline which includes housing, transport, tourism, logistics, and data-driven industries.
Another key aspect here is DEWA’s focus on underground cabling, which tells you quite a bit about the city’s engineering priorities. Underground transmission lines are more costly and complicated to install than overhead routes, but they tend to improve network reliability and protect infrastructure from weather or urban development issues. The mix of underground and overhead expansions shows a strategic approach, tailored to different parts of Dubai.
For the UAE’s energy sector, these projects are significant not just because of their size, they signal a move toward a more resilient and adaptable grid architecture. As Dubai needs more electricity for cooling, mobility, digital infrastructure, and new buildings, the power network must become sturdier, more flexible, and better connected. Their latest substation expansion is a clear sign that grid investment is now a fundamental part of tackling these challenges.
DEWA’s numbers reveal a utility still very much in expansion mode, with major projects completed in 2025 and a hefty construction schedule going through 2028. For Dubai, it’s not simply about increasing capacity, it’s about building a network that can support the next phase of rapid growth without sacrificing reliability or sustainability.
- https://solarquarter.com/2026/05/19/dewa-expands-dubai-power-network-with-new-substations-and-aed-8-5-billion-infrastructure-plan/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.dewa.gov.ae/en/about-us/media-publications/latest-news/2026/5/dewa-inaugured-eight – In 2025, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) inaugurated eight 132kV substations and two 400kV substations, enhancing the reliability and sustainability of Dubai’s electricity transmission network. The total cost of these projects exceeded AED 8.5 billion, including 52 new 132kV substations, 223 km of 132kV underground transmission cables, two 400kV substations, and 130 km of 400kV overhead transmission lines, all scheduled for completion by 2028. By the end of 2025, DEWA’s substations in Dubai reached 394, comprising 27 400kV substations and 367 132kV substations. These developments aim to meet the growing electricity demand driven by rapid urban growth and large-scale infrastructure development across the city. The projects also involved extending 250 km of underground cables and overhead transmission lines at a cost exceeding AED 1.35 billion across areas including Warsan-4, Al Yalayis-5, Hatta, Saih Shuaib-3, Al Hebiah-5, and Jebel Ali First. Additionally, DEWA began implementing five projects to construct major 132kV transmission substations to supply new Emirati housing areas, such as Latifa City, Al Awir First, and Al Khawaneej Second, at a total cost of approximately AED 560 million.
- https://www.dewa.gov.ae/en/about-us/media-publications/latest-news/2025/12/dewa-expands-dubais-transmission-network – In 2025, DEWA expanded Dubai’s transmission network by commissioning eight new substations and extending 250 km of underground cables and overhead transmission lines at a cost exceeding AED 1.35 billion. The projects, carried out in Al Warsan 4, Al Yalayis 5, Hatta, Saih Shuaib 3, Al Habiyah 5, and Jebel Ali First, are part of DEWA’s ongoing drive to develop advanced electricity infrastructure that supports Dubai’s rapid growth. DEWA also commenced work on five additional 132kV main transmission substations to supply new Emirati residential areas, including Latifa City, Al Awir I, and Al Khawaneej II, as well as other districts such as Al Satwa and Zabeel II, at a total cost of AED 560 million. This brings the number of 132kV substation projects launched in 2025 to 22. DEWA plans to build at least 78 substations of similar size over the next three years as part of its approved development plans.
- https://www.saudigulfprojects.com/2026/05/dewa-announces-aed-8-5-billion-worth-of-electricity-transmission-network-projects-underway/ – DEWA has announced that it has commissioned eight 132kV substations and two 400kV substations in 2025. These are part of DEWA’s development plans to enhance the reliability and sustainability of Dubai’s electricity transmission network. The total cost of electricity transmission network projects currently under construction exceeds AED 8.5 billion. These include 52 new 132kV substations, 223 km of 132kV underground transmission cables, two 400kV substations, and 130 km of 400kV overhead transmission lines, all scheduled for completion by 2028. The total number of DEWA substations across Dubai reached 394 by the end of 2025. This includes 27 400kV substations and 367 132kV substations. Hussain Lootah, Executive Vice President of Transmission Power at DEWA, explained that electricity transmission projects in 2025 included the extension of 250 km of underground cables and overhead transmission lines at a total cost exceeding AED 1.35 billion across Warsan-4, Al Yalayis-5, Hatta, Saih Shuaib-3, Al Hebiah-5, and Jebel Ali First. DEWA also began implementing five projects to construct major 132kV transmission substations to supply new Emirati housing areas, such as Latifa City, Al Awir First, and Al Khawaneej Second, at a total cost of approximately AED 560 million.
- https://www.dewa.gov.ae/en/about-us/media-publications/latest-news/2025/04/dewa-expands-electricity-distribution-network-to-meet-growing-demand – In 2024, DEWA commissioned 1,530 11 kV distribution substations across Dubai, marking an 8.2% increase compared to 2023. The construction of these substations and related work resulted in a total of 1,070,670 man-hours, all completed according to the highest standards of health and safety. Al Tayer said that there were 45,317 medium voltage (11 kV and 6.6 kV) substations by the end of 2024. He noted that the rise in the number of distribution substations is a new indication of the expansion of DEWA’s energy infrastructure to keep pace with Dubai’s rising demand for electricity driven by its economic and urban growth.
- https://www.dewa.gov.ae/en/about-us/media-publications/latest-news/2025/03/value-of-dewas-132kv-transmission-projects – In 2024, DEWA commissioned 13 new 132kV substations with a conversion capacity of 1,950 megavolt amperes. DEWA also installed 127 kilometres of ground cables to connect the substations to the main transmission network. This is part of DEWA’s ongoing efforts to keep pace with the urban expansion in Dubai. The total value of DEWA’s investments in existing and completed 132kV transmission projects in 2024 reached AED 2.1 billion.
- https://dewa.gov.ae/en/about-us/media-publications/latest-news/2025/07/dewa-electricity-transmission-projects – DEWA’s electricity transmission network projects now exceed AED 7.6 billion in value. He further noted that DEWA commissioned four 132 kV substations with a conversion capacity of 450 megavolt-amperes during the first half of 2025, at a cost of AED 725 million. These projects included the extension of 228 km of transmission cables. Al Tayer explained that DEWA is currently building 49 new 132 kV substations and two 400 kV substations. DEWA is also inviting main contractors to submit proposals for the implementation of 11 new 132 kV transmission substations. Over the next three years, DEWA intends to issue new tenders to establish more than 57 additional 132 kV substations and to extend 160 km of underground transmission cables.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The article was published on 19 May 2026, reporting on DEWA’s commissioning of eight 132kV substations and two 400kV substations in 2025, with ongoing projects valued at over AED 8.5 billion. ([solarquarter.com](https://solarquarter.com/2026/05/19/dewa-expands-dubai-power-network-with-new-substations-and-aed-8-5-billion-infrastructure-plan/?utm_source=openai)) Similar information was reported by DEWA on 28 December 2025, detailing the commissioning of eight new substations and the extension of 250km of underground cables and overhead transmission lines at a cost exceeding AED 1.35 billion. ([dewa.gov.ae](https://www.dewa.gov.ae/en/about-us/media-publications/latest-news/2025/12/dewa-expands-dubais-transmission-network?utm_source=openai)) The overlap in content suggests that the article may be repurposed from earlier reports, raising concerns about originality. ([mediaoffice.ae](https://www.mediaoffice.ae/en/news/2026/may/17-05/dewa?utm_source=openai))
Quotes check
Score:
7
Notes:
The article includes direct quotes from Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA, and Hussain Lootah, Executive Vice President of Transmission Power at DEWA. These quotes are consistent with statements made in DEWA’s official communications. ([dewa.gov.ae](https://www.dewa.gov.ae/en/about-us/media-publications/latest-news/2025/12/dewa-expands-dubais-transmission-network?utm_source=openai)) However, the absence of independent verification of these quotes raises concerns about their authenticity. ([mediaoffice.ae](https://www.mediaoffice.ae/en/news/2026/may/17-05/dewa?utm_source=openai))
Source reliability
Score:
6
Notes:
The article originates from SolarQuarter, a niche publication focusing on the solar energy sector. While it provides detailed information, the lack of affiliation with major news organisations and the potential for bias in niche publications necessitate cautious interpretation. ([solarquarter.com](https://solarquarter.com/2026/05/19/dewa-expands-dubai-power-network-with-new-substations-and-aed-8-5-billion-infrastructure-plan/?utm_source=openai))
Plausibility check
Score:
8
Notes:
The claims about DEWA’s expansion projects align with known infrastructure developments in Dubai. ([dewa.gov.ae](https://www.dewa.gov.ae/en/about-us/media-publications/latest-news/2025/12/dewa-expands-dubais-transmission-network?utm_source=openai)) However, the repetition of similar content across multiple sources without significant new information raises questions about the novelty and depth of the reporting. ([mediaoffice.ae](https://www.mediaoffice.ae/en/news/2026/may/17-05/dewa?utm_source=openai))
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): FAIL
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The article presents information about DEWA’s infrastructure projects, but the overlap with earlier reports, reliance on a single source, and lack of independent verification raise significant concerns about its originality and accuracy. ([dewa.gov.ae](https://www.dewa.gov.ae/en/about-us/media-publications/latest-news/2025/12/dewa-expands-dubais-transmission-network?utm_source=openai))
