Dubai transmission network expanded with AED8.5bn in new substations and lines
DEWA advances Dubai transmission network with AED8.5bn projects: 52 stations, 223km underground cables and 400kV lines, due for completion in 2028. Officials say
Dubai opens new 132kV and 400kV substations in 2025
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), said the authority has accelerated upgrades to the Dubai transmission network to meet rising demand. He announced that DEWA commissioned eight 132kV transmission substations and two 400kV substations during 2025 as part of its infrastructure expansion programme.
The new substations form part of a broader plan to improve system reliability and support Dubai’s continued urban and economic growth. DEWA framed the investments as necessary to maintain high levels of efficiency and operational resilience across the emirate’s power grid.
Scope and cost of transmission projects under construction
DEWA reported that the total capital value of transmission projects currently under construction exceeds AED 8.5 billion. That package covers 52 new 132kV substations, two additional 400kV substations, and extensive transmission corridors intended to bolster capacity through 2028.
Included in the programme are 223 kilometres of underground 132kV transmission cables and 130 kilometres of 400kV overhead lines, giving the authority greater flexibility in routing power to growth areas. DEWA has set a target to substantially complete these works by 2028 to align with planned urban development and demand forecasts.
Network footprint and capacity at the end of 2025
By the end of 2025, DEWA’s transmission network comprised 394 principal transmission substations, reflecting the recent additions. Of those, 27 are 400kV substations and 367 are 132kV substations, figures the authority published to illustrate the scale and redundancy of Dubai’s grid.
That footprint supports both bulk transfer capacity at 400kV and distribution-level transmission at 132kV, creating layered resilience that can accommodate large new loads while maintaining service quality. DEWA emphasised that diversification of voltage levels remains central to its long-term network planning.
2025 cable and overhead line extensions across Dubai districts
Hussein Lootah, Deputy CEO for Power Transmission at DEWA, outlined the transmission works carried out through 2025, noting extensions of underground cables and overhead lines totalling 250 kilometres. Those works, executed at a cost exceeding AED 1.35 billion, covered a number of strategic locations including Warsan 4, Al Yalayis 5, Hatta, Saih Shuaib 3, Al Hebiah 5 and Jebel Ali First.
The projects focused on reinforcing supply routes and reducing vulnerability to localized faults by creating alternative pathways for bulk power movement. DEWA said these targeted reinforcements were timed to serve both immediate operational needs and anticipated load growth in peripheral and industrial districts.
New 132kV substations to serve citizen housing developments
DEWA has initiated five new 132kV transmission substation projects specifically to supply recently planned citizen housing areas, with an aggregate budget of roughly AED 560 million. The developments named include Latifa City, Al Awir First, and Al Khuwainej Second among other residential zones earmarked for construction.
These substations are intended to deliver secure and sufficient capacity to new neighbourhoods while allowing for future scalability. DEWA indicated the investments are designed to integrate with distribution networks that will connect directly into local grids serving homes and community facilities.
Strategic objectives: reliability, sustainability and readiness
Officials framed the transmission expansion as part of DEWA’s strategic aim to build a sustainable and resilient power network aligned with Dubai’s broader development agenda. Enhancing transmission capacity supports the emirate’s electrification goals and creates headroom for renewable generation and electrified transport systems.
DEWA emphasised that the programme balances immediate reliability improvements with medium-term decarbonisation objectives, enabling the grid to absorb distributed and utility-scale renewable energy. The authority also highlighted that investments in underground cabling and modern overhead corridors reduce outage risk and lower lifecycle maintenance costs.
DEWA expects the enlarged transmission network to support faster, safer connections for large consumers and new residential zones while improving contingency routing during maintenance or fault events.
The authority projects that, once delivered, the ongoing construction will significantly strengthen Dubai’s ability to manage peak demand, respond to unforeseen system events and integrate future energy technologies by the target completion year of 2028.