SEWA Rolls Out AED 5.2 Billion Energy & Water Projects in Sharjah

Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority is rolling out energy and water infrastructure projects worth more than AED 5.2 billion, including a major desalination plant scheduled to begin operations in the fourth quarter of 2028.

The authority outlined the programme at the second ‘Sharjah: Future Station’ forum at the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park. The investment covers new water production and storage facilities, upgrades to transmission networks and the use of artificial intelligence to improve operational efficiency.

A central component is the emirate’s first independent reverse osmosis desalination plant, which is planned to reach a production capacity of 410,000 cubic metres per day by the fourth quarter of 2028. SEWA said the facility is expected to supply water to around 1.4 million people.

The programme also includes upgrades to water transmission networks, pumping stations and reservoirs, with 270 million gallons of additional storage capacity planned. Other projects include strategic underground water storage and the use of artificial intelligence and geographic information systems to monitor networks, reduce losses and strengthen oversight through a central control room.

On the electricity side, SEWA is upgrading high-voltage networks and substations to support greater integration of clean energy sources. The authority said technologies including reactive power management and smart network systems have reduced electricity grid losses by 25% and faults by 40%.

High-voltage networks are also being converted from a ring configuration to a meshed system to improve connectivity, strengthen safety and allow faster responses to operational issues.

The investment programme aligns with targets under the UAE Water Security Strategy 2036, including a 21% reduction in demand for water resources, reuse of 95% of treated water and two days of emergency water storage capacity.