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UAE Yearbook 2010
at the same time, however, there are current challenges, in terms of a lack of supply, particularly, via the federal electricity and water authority (fewa), in the northern emirates, although both abu dhabi and dubai also face constraints. substantial progress was made during 2009 in tackling these problems. thus, for example, dubai electricity and water authority (dewa) and abu dhabi water and electricity authority (adwea) secured financing for new projects, whilst abu dhabi both extended financial aid for new infrastructure, and stepped up exports of electricity from its own power stations to sharjah and the northern emirates in order to address the shortfall in supply. recognising the importance of sustainable development, attention was also paid to promoting public awareness about the need to slow electricity and water consumption growth. meanwhile, new sources of energy were planned in the form of solar plants and nuclear reactors. the year culminated with one of the most important development-related events in the country s history: the signing of a dh75 billion (us$20 bn) contract with a consortium of korean firms to build four nuclear power stations by 2020. the move means that the uae will be the first arab nation to tap atomic power on a commercial scale (see chapter on the nuclear programme). capacity increases the uae continued to build up power capacity in 2009 to keep pace with consumption that grew strongly despite the economic downturn. peak consumption of electricity jumped 11.3 per cent in abu dhabi and 6.3 per cent in dubai, according to statistics issued in november 2009 by the abu dhabi water and electricity company. significant growth was also evident in the water sector, where the government is grappling with lowering one of the highest per capita consumption rates in the world. the country has limited resources of fresh water and has become increasingly reliant on production by desalination through co-generation with power stations. according to the ministry of environment and water, for much of the year, depending on temperatures, about 98 per cent of the water being consumed is produced by desalination. adwea continued work on the 2000 megawatt (mw) fujairah 2 power station, at qidfa, on the uae s east coast. to be fuelled by gas supplied via a pipeline from taweelah, north-east of abu dhabi, and due to be completed by the end of 2010, this will supply power both to abu dhabi and to the grid in the northern emirates. the attached desalination plant will also supply 130 million gallons per day (mgd) of water to al ain and fujairah. 114 > uae 2010
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