Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (Dewa) has signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with the GCC Interconnection Authority (GCCIA) and the Belgian Dredging, Environmental & Marine Engineering Group (DEME) to conduct a study for a 400MW pumped hydro storage power island in the Gulf area.

The planned project would have a storage capacity of about 2,500MWh.

The planned hydropower project will form part of Dubai’s target to diversify its energy resources for power generation, with the emirate planning for 75 per cent of its total energy requirements to be met by clean energy resources by 2050.

The appeal of pumped storage is that it can be integrated with different renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, which are intermittent power supply options affected by wind patterns or when sun is covered by clouds. Pumped storage is an important source for energy storage as water is stored when excess energy is produced, and then can be used to provide electricity when energy demand is at its highest during peak hours.

The planned 400MW project will build on the proposed 250MW Hatta pumped hydro project.

Dewa invited contractors to submit expressions of interest (EoI) for participating in the tender for the proposed Hatta hydroelectric project in November last year. Following the finalisation of the prequalification process, the client will issue tender documents for an EPC contract to build the plant.

In June last year, Dewa awarded a AED58m ($15.8m) contract to France’s EDF to provide consultancy services for the pumped-storage project, which will be the first of its kind in the Arabian Gulf.

The project will use water stored in the Hatta Dam, near the Oman border, and will be the first hydroelectric facility in the GCC.

The existing Hatta Dam can store up to 1,716 million gallons of water. The project will involve the construction of an upper reservoir, which will be able to hold up to 880 million gallons. The upper reservoir will be located 300 metres above the dam level.

During off-peak hours, turbines will use solar energy to pump water from the dam to the upper reservoir.

The project will support the AED1.3bn ($354m) Hatta development plan, which was announced earlier in November. Under the plan, three main areas, including an economic and service zone, tourism and sports zone and a culture and education area, will be built in the Hatta area.

The Hatta development plan is part of the UAE’s 2021 Vision, launched in 2014.