Dubai Electricity and Water Authority has expanded its power network across the emirate during 2026. DEWA substations now play a larger role in supporting Dubai’s rapid urban development.
The authority commissioned 793 new 11kV substations during the first half of 2026. The expansion supports increasing electricity demand across residential and commercial areas.
DEWA completed the related construction work using more than 624,000 man-hours. Teams followed strict requirements for quality, efficiency, and workplace safety.
The latest expansion reflects Dubai’s continued investment in modern infrastructure. Population growth and new developments continue to increase pressure on electricity networks.
Substations serve an important function within the electricity distribution system. They adjust voltage levels to help electricity travel efficiently across long distances.
The facilities also help deliver power safely to homes, offices, commercial centers, and other developments. Therefore, expanding the network allows DEWA to respond to rising demand.
DEWA currently operates around 53 substations connected to its 33kV network. It also manages approximately 47,723 medium-voltage substations.
Those medium-voltage facilities operate at 11kV and 6.6kV levels. Together, these assets form a major part of Dubai’s electricity distribution infrastructure.
The latest projects also support the emirate’s broader urban expansion plans. Dubai continues to develop new residential communities and commercial destinations.
In addition, investment projects and business hubs continue emerging across different areas. Consequently, DEWA needs to expand its electricity infrastructure alongside these developments.
The authority also maintains strong reliability across its electricity network. Previously, DEWA reported an average of only 0.82 customer minutes without electricity each year.
Electricity transmission and distribution losses also remained around 2 percent. These figures highlight the authority’s focus on network efficiency and service reliability.
Furthermore, DEWA continues investing in advanced technologies across its operations. The authority aims to improve performance while supporting long-term economic and urban development.
DEWA officials said future infrastructure planning will focus on anticipating changing electricity requirements. This approach should help the network accommodate Dubai’s continued growth.
The authority also expects demand to rise as new communities become operational. More homes, offices, shopping destinations, and business facilities will require reliable electricity.
Therefore, DEWA substations will remain an important component of Dubai’s infrastructure strategy. The latest projects provide additional capacity for the emirate’s expanding communities.
DEWA also has a broader history of major infrastructure investments. In 2025, the authority launched 22 new 132kV substations.
Those projects carried a combined value exceeding Dh1.35 billion. They supported several communities and strategic development areas across Dubai.
The projects included locations such as Al Warsan 4 and Al Yalayis 5. Other areas included Hatta, Saih Shuaib 3, Al Habiyah 5, and Jebel Ali First.
The investment demonstrates the scale of Dubai’s ongoing electricity infrastructure program. It also reflects growing requirements from the emirate’s expanding economy.
Meanwhile, the new 11kV substations commissioned this year add further capacity to the distribution network. This expansion should help DEWA manage future electricity requirements more effectively.
As Dubai continues attracting residents, businesses, and investment, infrastructure demand will likely increase. Electricity networks must therefore expand alongside new construction and development.
DEWA’s current projects support that long-term objective. They also strengthen the emirate’s ability to provide reliable electricity across growing communities.
Overall, the expansion of DEWA substations represents another major step in Dubai’s infrastructure development. The authority continues preparing its network for future urban and economic growth.
With thousands of substations already operating, DEWA maintains one of the emirate’s most extensive utility networks. Continued investment should help support Dubai’s development for years ahead.
