DUBAI: The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority has developed several artificial intelligence-based innovations to improve the efficiency of operations, and monitor cyberattacks, leaks, and faults, the Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.
The innovations aim to boost Dubai’s competitiveness, support DEWA’s efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and keep it ahead of major European and US utilities in several indicators.
According to WAM, water network losses in 2021 will be 5.3 percent, compared to 15 percent in North America, making it one of the lowest rates in the world.
DEWA managing director and CEO Saeed Mohammed Al-Tayer said the authority was working to reshape the concept of a utility through Digital DEWA to become the world’s first digital utility company with autonomous systems for renewable energy and storage, while also expanding the use of AI and digital services.
These efforts contributed to Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum’s Dubai 10X initiative.
“We seek to achieve the objectives of the UAE Water Security Strategy 2036,” Al-Tayer said. “We continue developing proactive solutions for the challenges of the next 50 years to make the UAE the world’s leading nation by its centennial in 2071. This is by using our advanced smart grid and the latest Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, as well as effective governance practices to raise efficiency and develop unique experiences that make Dubai a global model for clean energy, water, and green economy.
“The state-of-the-art infrastructure of DEWA, adopting innovation and the latest tools for anticipating the future, as well as sound scientific planning, have helped it keep pace with the growing demand for water in Dubai according to the highest standards of availability, reliability, and efficiency.
“DEWA’s total production capacity has reached 490 million imperial gallons per day of desalinated water, including 63 MIGD using reverse osmosis.
“The full length of water transmission and distribution lines has reached 13,592 kilometers across Dubai by the end of 2021. This helps DEWA maintain its services for more than 3.5 million people who live in Dubai and millions of visitors.”
DEWA offers a high-water usage alert to assist customers under the Smart Response initiative, which sends a text in the event of an unusual increase in water consumption.