Dubai Electricity and Water Authority hosted a delegation from Ethiopia’s Executive Leadership Training Programme this week as part of broader UAE-Ethiopia cooperation on government modernisation that has been active since 2023. Managing Director and Chief Executive Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer welcomed the visitors at DEWA headquarters and provided an overview of the authority’s operations in electricity generation water desalination and customer services. The session focused on how DEWA leverages innovation to meet growing demand while reducing its environmental footprint according to a report by the Emirates News Agency.
DEWA figures show the authority’s installed generation capacity reached 17979 megawatts by mid-2026 with clean energy sources contributing 21.5 percent of the total. The utility produced 15.78 terawatt hours of electricity in the second quarter of 2026 including 3.14 terawatt hours from clean power that accounted for 19.9 percent of output during the period. Water desalination capacity stood at 555 million imperial gallons per day after recent expansions that added reverse osmosis facilities.
According to the Emirates News Agency the Ethiopian group toured DEWA’s Sustainability and Innovation Centre where officials outlined progress on the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. The solar facility is on track to exceed 8000 megawatts by 2030 and is projected to cut carbon emissions by 8.5 million tonnes annually once fully operational. Delegates also reviewed DEWA’s green hydrogen initiative which produces fuel from solar power and supports applications in transport and power generation.
The UAE-Ethiopia strategic partnership has facilitated 1224 workshops totalling more than one million training hours and reaching over 5.3 million participants since its launch a government assessment found. The Executive Leadership Training Programme forms part of this effort by exposing senior Ethiopian officials to practical experiences across multiple sectors including utilities and digital governance. DEWA’s experience with smart grid technologies and customer apps that handled 7.4 million digital transactions in the first half of 2026 offered relevant lessons for the visitors.
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer stated that the visit reflects the authority’s role in supporting global and national efforts to achieve the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The delegation engaged with technical teams on topics ranging from demand forecasting to integration of renewable sources into the power mix. Such exchanges help strengthen bilateral ties and promote knowledge transfer between the two countries according to the Emirates News Agency.
DEWA disclosed a record net profit of AED 3.33 billion on revenue of AED 14.86 billion for the first half of 2026 in its latest financial update. The authority added more than 72000 customer accounts over the preceding 12 months representing growth of 5.63 percent and bringing total electricity customers above 1.28 million. These results demonstrate the scale of operations that the Ethiopian delegation examined during their visit to Dubai.
