Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa), announced that Dewa has completed the short-term goals of its Smart Grid Strategy 2014-2035. Between 2015 and 2020, Dewa replaced all electricity and water meters with smart meters, a deployment of over two million smart meters. By automating meter readings, Dewa empowers its customers with information on their usage patterns; allowing them to effectively manage their electricity and water usage.

Between 2015 and 2017, Dewa fully automated its transmission network connected to the 400kV and 132 kV substations. In 2017, Dewa deployed its multi-application RF Mesh network across the Emirate. Since then, it has expanded to provide communication to over 4,200 distribution substations. This supports smart grid applications such as electricity and water smart meters and the automation of the distribution network.

“One of the key factors for the success of smart cities is the seamlessness and availability of round-the-clock integrated and connected services, which is only possible via a smart grid. As a globally leading sustainable innovative corporation, Dewa provides an advanced infrastructure for facility and services management through smart and connected systems that use the latest disruptive technologies and the Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Internet of Things. The Smart Grid is a key component of Dewa’s strategy to develop an advanced infrastructure that supports the transformation of Dubai into the smartest and happiest city in the world. The Smart Grid covers the generation, transmission, and distribution systems with investments of up to Dhs7 billion that will be completed in the short, medium, and long-term until 2035,” said Al Tayer.

Waleed Bin Salman, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Excellence at Dewa, said that the Smart Grid Strategy 2014-2035 has supported Dewa to become one of the leading utilities worldwide in terms of providing electricity and water services according to the highest levels of reliability, security, availability, sustainability, and quality.

Meanwhile Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) announced its most used services in 2021, which showed an increase in digital services, demonstrating public awareness and adoption of a sustainable lifestyle that protects the environment and natural resources. This also reflects Dewa’s excellence in developing its innovative services to achieve stakeholder happiness, and to strengthen its position as one of the best and most distinguished utilities in all areas worldwide.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dewa, said that the organisation uses disruptive digital services through devices and smart channels that employ Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics and Fourth Industrial Revolution applications.

Dewa provides all its services on several digital channels including its smart app (iOS and Android) and website. Dewa also provides several services through Rammas its virtual employee. Rammas is available through Dewa’s website, its smart app, Facebook page, Google Home, robots, WhatsApp Business, and Amazon’s Alexa.

Dewa has recently started providing its smart services on Amazon Alexa in Arabic, becoming the first government utility in the world to do this. Smart adoption of Dewa’s services reached 98.89 per cent in the final quarter of 2021. Dewa also received the 100 per cent Paperless stamp from Smart Dubai. Dewa has completed its electronic integration with more than 30 entities.

The Bill Payment service was among the most used services, with 9 million transactions over the past year. Bill payments can be conveniently made through Dewa’s website, smart app, Smart Dubai’s DubaiNow, Apple Pay, Empay app, using smart and electronic services of 25 banks, Etisalat Public Payment Machines, Tayseer payment platform for cheques from different banks via EmiratesNBD’s Cheque Deposit Machines, Rammas- Dewa’s virtual employee, and Enoc and Eppco stations. Customers can also pay bills cash, using their credit and debit cards, Noqodi, direct debit and autopay.

‘Managing electricity/water’ service was the second most used service. This includes Activation of Electricity/Water (Move-in) /Deactivation Electricity/Water (Move-out) / Transfer of Electricity/Water (Move-to), when moving from one premises to another and transferring the security deposit. ‘Managing customer data’ service came third for updating billing address and contact information.

The ‘Request for Refund’ was the fourth most used service for customers to get their refund for security deposit fees through Western Union or Bank Account Number IBAN or cheques.

The ‘No Objection Certificate’ was the fifth most used service for accredited contractors and consultants to obtain Building NOC-Electricity/Water or Demolition NOC-Electricity/Water, Infrastructure Projects NOC, and Getting Solar Connections NOC. The ‘Clearance Certificate’ came sixth, which permits paying all due fees on the account. Dewa also witnessed an increase in using the ‘Consumption Verification Electricity/Water’ service for customers to verify any unusual increase or decrease in electricity and water consumption patterns.