TAQA Transmission’s award-winning high-voltage project advances UAE’s net-zero ambitions

Abu Dhabi’s TAQA Transmission, which operates as the transmission arm of Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA), has gained international recognition for a groundbreaking high-voltage project. Company officials say this project will bolster the UAE’s power grid, especially as the country ramps up its renewable energy and nuclear power capacities.

As reported by Al Etihad, TAQA Transmission was honored with the “Infrastructure Project of the Year” award at the 2025 Platts Global Energy Awards. This event was hosted by S&P Global Commodity Insights in New York on December 11, 2025. The award specifically celebrates the company’s East–West Corridor Phase‑Shifting Transformer (PST) project. The firm describes it as one of the most sophisticated 400-kilovolt transmission projects in the region. These awards are well-regarded in the energy sector for recognizing innovation and leadership.

The PST system installed along the UAE’s East–West power corridor gives operators the ability to manage power flows, both in amount and direction, in real time. Industry experts note that such devices increase operational flexibility, help ease network congestion, cut down on technical losses, and improve overall grid stability. These features are becoming increasingly critical as variable renewable sources and nuclear energy expand within the national energy mix.

TAQA Transmission sees the project as vital to the UAE’s Energy Strategy 2050 and its net-zero ambitions. The company emphasizes that this technology enables smarter management of power flows, reduces stress on transmission assets, and helps lower energy losses throughout the system.

Dr. Afeef Saif Al‑Yafaie, the CEO of TAQA Transmission, expressed his pride in the award. Speaking with Al Etihad, he said: “نعتز بهذا التقدير العالمي المرموق، الذي يعكس التزامنا الراسخ بتطوير بنية تحتية متطورة لنقل الطاقة وفق أعلى المعايير الدولية، وبما يدعم طموحات دولة الإمارات في قطاع الطاقة. ويجسّد هذا المشروع نهجنا القائم على الاستثمار الاستراتيجي، والتميز التقني والتصميم المبتكر، بما يساهم في تعزيز مرونة النظام الكهربائي ودمج مصادر الطاقة النظيفة، ونحن فخورون برؤية عملنا يحظى بهذا التقدير العالمي، ونشكر فرق العمل والشركاء الذين ساهموا في تحقيق هذا الإنجاز”.

Based on coverage from S&P Global and the list of finalists, the Platts Global Energy Awards have recognized innovations in infrastructure, sustainability, and technology for nearly thirty years. The awards are considered a key indicator of sector advancements, with winners ranging from national utility companies to private engineering firms.

Experts in the field say that PST systems serve an important role in integrating more intermittent renewable sources. By managing phase angles and power flows along specific routes, PSTs prevent undesirable loop flows, allowing system operators to direct clean energy where it’s needed most without overloading circuits. Industry data indicates that targeted congestion control can significantly cut system losses and postpone costly upgrades to heavily used corridors.

This project’s significance is further underpinned by the broader energy transition happening in the UAE. Government policies and corporate strategies in the Emirates are aggressively pushing for rapid growth in solar and other renewables, along with nuclear baseload capacity. This environment makes managing supply and demand increasingly complex, especially with transfer constraints in play. The award to TAQA Transmission highlights how investments in transmission are now seen as crucial for decarbonization, not just for ensuring reliable power.

The recognition also comes alongside other notable UAE achievements at the same event. For instance, according to S&P Global, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC) took home the ‘Excellence in Energy – Power’ award for its Barakah nuclear plant. This underscores the country’s dual approach: developing large-scale clean power and modernizing the grid.

TAQA Transmission’s recent LinkedIn posts and official statements expressed gratitude toward project partners and staff. They noted that this award affirms the company’s ongoing commitment to building cutting-edge transmission infrastructure and supporting the large-scale integration of renewable energy. The firm views this accolade as a validation of its strategic investments and technical expertise.

Of course, while this achievement highlights impressive technical progress, some analysts caution that upgrades alone won’t realize all potential benefits. Broader reforms, like operational best practices, market mechanisms, and better coordination between generation and transmission operators, are essential to fully harness controllable assets such as PSTs. Still, engineers widely regard this technology as an effective tool for targeted flow management and boosting system resilience.

As the UAE advances toward its Energy Strategy 2050 targets and aims for net-zero emissions, investment in transmission technologies is expected to grow. The Platts award for TAQA Transmission underscores a key example of how the UAE is adopting advanced grid control methods to support a low-carbon energy future. And, according to coverage of the awards, these kinds of innovations are increasingly shaping international expectations, showing that countries can combine large-scale renewable generation with secure, efficient transmission systems.

Source: Noah Wire Services