Dubai Electricity and Water Authority has highlighted a series of artificial intelligence, automation and advanced inspection technologies designed to improve the reliability, efficiency and sustainability of the emirate’s electricity distribution network.
DEWA MD and CEO Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer reviewed the initiatives during a visit to the Distribution Power division’s complex in Al Ruwayyah, where the utility demonstrated projects spanning AI-enabled asset management, remote network control, accredited testing laboratories and advanced inspection techniques.
Asset Health Centre brings real-time intelligence to maintenance
One of the key initiatives reviewed was DEWA’s Asset Health Centre, which uses real-time information on asset condition, risk and maintenance requirements.
The system is designed to support faster and more informed decision-making across the electricity distribution network.
By combining asset data with analytics, the centre enables risk-based maintenance planning, helps optimise replacement schedules and reduces the likelihood of asset-related failures.
DEWA said the approach reflects a wider shift towards proactive infrastructure management based on Big Data and advanced analytics rather than fixed maintenance cycles alone.
Distribution automation strengthens network reliability
Al Tayer was also briefed on DEWA’s Distribution Automation programme.
The system uses RF-Mesh technology to enable remote monitoring and control of distribution assets from centralised Distribution Control Centres.
This allows operators to manage network conditions more efficiently and respond more quickly to faults or changes in demand.
The programme forms part of DEWA’s broader Smart Grid strategy and is intended to improve service reliability while reducing operational response times.
Accredited labs support asset quality and lifecycle management
DEWA also showcased its accredited laboratory capabilities.
The ISO/IEC 17025:2017-accredited Cable Lab supports root-cause analysis, quality assurance, asset lifecycle management and external cable testing.
The utility said the facility has generated both technical and financial benefits through improved testing capability, reduced failure risks and external service revenues.
The Energy Meter Testing Lab was also reviewed during the visit.
The facility conducts accredited testing of energy meters and current transformers and has similarly generated revenue while strengthening quality assurance across DEWA’s metering infrastructure.
X-ray inspections target hidden equipment defects
DEWA also highlighted its use of X-ray inspection technology for capacitor bank circuit breakers.
The utility said it is the first worldwide to apply the technique to inspect this type of equipment without affecting functionality or causing damage.
The approach allows engineers to identify internal defects at an earlier stage without dismantling components or interrupting normal operation.
Early detection can help reduce unexpected failures and minimise potential service disruptions.
Mobile training unit supports field workforce
The visit also included a review of DEWA’s Mobile Training Unit.
The unit delivers safety and operational training directly to field teams, reducing the need for employees to travel to central training locations.
Between 2021 and 2025, the programme trained more than 9,200 employees.
The initiative complements DEWA’s technology investments by focusing on the operational skills needed to support increasingly automated and data-driven electricity distribution systems.
Why this matters
DEWA’s latest initiatives show how utility digitalisation is moving beyond smart meters and basic automation towards predictive asset management, remote operations and data-driven maintenance.
For electricity networks, the value of AI and analytics lies in identifying emerging risks before they become outages, improving maintenance timing and extending the useful life of critical infrastructure.
The combination of real-time asset intelligence, automated distribution control and advanced non-invasive inspection could help DEWA improve resilience while managing the growing complexity of Dubai’s power network.
Editor’s note
The most strategically important part of DEWA’s approach is the integration of AI, automation and physical asset management.
Utilities often deploy these technologies separately, but the larger operational benefit comes when asset condition data, maintenance planning, remote control and inspection systems work together.
The next step will be to measure how these initiatives affect outage frequency, maintenance costs, asset lifecycles and response times. Those operational metrics will ultimately determine how much value DEWA is extracting from its smart grid investments.
