MD and CEO of DEWA emphasizes importance of GCC Interconnection

This is due to its important role in increasing the reliability and efficiency of all the GCC's power network by contributing to reserves, providing support and enhancing energy trade and exchange.

The meeting was attended from DEWA side by Hussain Essa Lootah, EVP of Power Transmission, Waleed Salman, EVP of Strategy and Business Development, Yousef Jebril, EVP of Power and Water Planning. GCCIA delegates included Ahmed Ali Al-Ebrahim, Director of System Operations & Maintenance and Market Operations, and Abdul-Mohsen H. Al- Musallami, Manager of Executive Affairs.

Al Tayer emphasized that grid interconnection in the GCC countries promotes the capability, capacity and reliability of the grids in the region. It also makes power trade and exchange at emergencies easy and available, enables the participant countries in the project to contribute to electricity reserve, reduces the reserve of generation capacities and enhances the stability of the grids.

"DEWA is looking forward to making best use and maximizing the benefits of connecting the UAE grid to the GCC grid. It is very important to maximize these benefits by making effective improvements in power trading and exchange. It is also important to enhance the capacity of the interconnection grid to match the existing grids of GCC countries and the potential growth of electricity demand, when considering future interconnections at both regional and international levels," said Al Tayer.

The mutual discussions between the two sides focused on methods of activating and enhancing energy trades and exchanges, reviewing the energy policies of GCC countries, the optimum utilization of resources, lowering operational and maintenance costs, mitigating the environmental impact in the gulf, and supporting and keeping pace with economic growth in the region.