Abu Dhabi Fund for Development has struck a $205 million financing agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority to connect the GCC power grid to the UAE’s national electricity network. The agreement was signed at the ADFD headquarters in Abu Dhabi. It aims to improve regional energy security and facilitate power exchange between the UAE and other GCC countries.
The project aligns with the UAE’s Energy Strategy 2050, which aims to build a sustainable and economically efficient energy system. The program aims to significantly enhance electricity transmission capacity between the UAE and the wider GCC network.
The project involves a 96-kilometre 400kV double-circuit overhead transmission line connecting the Al Silaa substation in the UAE to the Salwa substation in Saudi Arabia. It plans to increase substations in Gonan, Al Silaa, and Salwa, as well as install advanced switchgear and control systems, to improve grid dependability.
Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, ADFD’s director-general, indicated that the project would increase electricity grid efficiency and regional connections. The extended infrastructure has the potential to create a unified Gulf electrical market and provide commercial opportunities worth more than $20 billion over the next 15 years.
