From Mokha to Aden: Sustainable UAE Projects in the Electricity Sector
From Mokha to the temporary capital Aden in Yemen, work is underway on solar power electricity generation projects.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is implementing sustainable strategic solutions in the electricity sector in Yemen after years of prolonged power outages that hindered development efforts in the country. From the temporary capital Aden to Hadhramaut in the east and Mokha in Taiz in the west, the UAE has intervened with vital projects in the field of renewable energy, providing Yemen with nearly $100 million per month, which used to be consumed by electricity in Aden alone.
Throughout the country, the interruption of electricity services leads to chaos in other essential services such as education, water, sanitation, and healthcare. However, the UAE has recently sought to implement sustainable solutions, especially in coastal cities experiencing high temperatures, by constructing renewable energy stations.
In Mokha, engineers are putting the finishing touches on the first groundbreaking electricity project, expected to come into service in August. In Aden, work is underway on a project covering an area of one and a half million square meters to build a similar system for the city, which is classified as the country’s capital and suffers frequent power cuts, especially during the hot summer.
Mokha Power Plant Nears Opening
The solar power electricity generation project for Mokha is progressing at a high pace, closely monitored by Deputy Head of the Presidential Council, Major General Tarek Mohammed Abdullah Saleh, to complete it within a specified timeframe by the executing company.
A source in Mokha’s Electricity reported that the solar power electricity generation project for Mokha has entered its final stages after the necessary equipment for power generation has arrived. It is expected to be operational in August.
According to the source, the strategic project funded by the “Abu Dhabi Development Fund” has a generation capacity of about 15 megawatts, exceeding Mokha’s consumption need of around 5 megawatts.
The project will further consolidate the UAE’s development efforts in the western coastal areas, particularly in Yemen. The solar electricity of Mokha is expected to achieve self-sufficiency in the city’s electricity, which consumes about 10 megawatts.
The solar power project in Mokha is located strategically close to the Mokha steam power station, based on a study to connect it to the general grid and high-voltage lines.
Recently, Deputy Head of the Presidential Council, Major General Tarek Saleh, visited the solar power project in the capital Aden’s Bier Ahmed area, as part of continuous monitoring of service projects in liberated provinces, especially in the capital Aden.
He urged the project management, led by Iraqi engineer Mohammed Hassan, to intensify efforts and complete the project according to the specified plan.
Saleh revealed that the second phase will be wind power generation, covering all the directorates of the western coast and the city of Taiz and its surroundings, funded by the United Arab Emirates.
The new project will enhance Mokha’s ability to meet the increasing demand for energy after it transformed into a central headquarters for the western coastal directorates, with its population increasing to about three times what it was before liberation from the Houthi militia in 2017.
Environmental Conservation
From Mokha to the temporary capital Aden, UAE engineering teams are working on constructing the largest solar power station in Yemen, contributing to environmental conservation and reducing carbon emissions.
According to a source in Aden’s Electricity, the settlement of the project area has been completed, and the land has been leveled to start the actual installation of solar panels.
The UAE-funded solar power project for Aden, with a capacity of 120 megawatts, is continuously progressing on a 1.5 million square meter area without interruption. It will provide a significant boost to the energy sector in Aden, reducing operating costs and the need for fuel to run existing power stations.
The renewable power station in Aden will “reduce electricity generation costs during daylight hours and the need for fuel for power stations. It will also contribute to environmental conservation by reducing carbon emissions,” according to the Yemeni government.
Deputy Head of the Presidential Council, Brigadier General Abdulrahman Al-Mahrami, recently assigned a team to inspect the solar power system project in Aden’s Bier Ahmed area as part of continuous monitoring of service projects in liberated provinces, especially in the capital Aden.
According to the statement by the Southern Giants Forces, the assigned team inspected the progress of the project, reaffirming continuous communication with the Aden governorate and the Ministry of Electricity, as well as the executing entity of the project.
The UAE’s renewable energy projects are part of its strategic charitable initiatives that support and assist Yemen in various fields, especially during these difficult times characterized by recurrent electricity outages due to the multi-faceted Houthi-led war.
