en.Wedoany.com Reported - Yousif Al Ali, CEO of Etihad Water and Electricity (EtihadWE), the utility provider for the Northern Emirates of the UAE, stated that the company has adjusted its strategy based on demand growth, advancing capacity expansion and infrastructure upgrades with an annual investment of approximately AED 2 billion. Demand in the service area has surged to nearly 10%, far exceeding earlier forecasts, placing significant pressure on the electricity and water supply networks.
Population growth, industrial expansion, and the development of the digital economy have collectively driven the rise in demand. Tourism in Ras Al Khaimah and the RAKEZ Al Hamra Industrial Zone have attracted advanced manufacturing, while large data centers in Ajman have created intensive and reliability-critical electricity loads. Al Ali emphasized that demand growth signals the economic vitality of the Northern Emirates, and infrastructure planning must stay ahead of this success.
To address demand, EtihadWE has adopted a dual-track investment model, simultaneously expanding capacity and upgrading existing infrastructure. The company has invested over AED 15 billion in the past decade, with annual investments of approximately AED 2 billion. Given the long lead times for major network upgrades, forward-looking demand scenarios are guiding decisions rather than reactive planning. Al Ali noted that expanding capacity without upgrading facilities risks instability, while upgrading without expansion limits future readiness.
Resilience has become a core principle in EtihadWE's planning, operations, and investments. The company has deployed smart metering systems, AI monitoring tools, and predictive maintenance platforms to detect issues earlier and reduce disruptions. In water security, EtihadWE has fully transitioned to reverse osmosis (RO) desalination, reducing energy consumption and improving sustainability. Its "Non-Revenue Water" program integrates SmartBall technology, acoustic sensors, and AI analysis, achieving up to a 70% reduction in leak detection and repair time. Through the "Zero Bureaucracy" initiative, the company has eliminated over 2,100 service steps, saving 25,000 customer hours and offering 22 self-service functions.
In digitalization, over 500,000 smart meters now feed real-time data into AI systems for monitoring consumption patterns, detecting anomalies, and optimizing network performance. EtihadWE also supports renewable energy and electric vehicles through distributed solar systems and the UAEV charging network, which has over 120 charging stations. At the Al Hulaila Water Distribution Center, energy-efficient systems save 36 million kWh of electricity annually, equivalent to approximately AED 16 million.
Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) have played a significant role in EtihadWE's strategy. The company participated in the construction of the Ras Al Khaimah wastewater treatment plant under a Build-Own-Operate-Transfer model, with a daily capacity of 60,000 cubic meters, serving up to 300,000 residents and achieving 100% reuse of treated wastewater for irrigation and cooling.
EtihadWE currently serves over 2 million residents, thousands of businesses, and more than 9,000 farms, with a network spanning over 23,000 kilometers. The company aims to operate a comprehensive infrastructure platform encompassing core utilities, smart systems, and future energy solutions by 2030. This information is based on Yousif Al Ali's statements in an interview with Middle East Utilities magazine.
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