Recently, in a small aluminum factory in Ajman Industrial Zone, the owner Mohammed opened the power switch of the production line as usual. However, within two hours, the voltage monitor in the workshop once again turned red - this was the third time this month that he had been forced to reduce production due to unstable voltage. At the same time, in the bidding office of Ajman City Hall, a document worth $150 million has just completed its final review and has been officially posted online. The implementation of this bidding document means that three new substations will move from drawings to reality, completely rewriting the power supply map of this emirate.

Three new stations are accurately located in three core areas

This bidding project focuses on the systematic improvement of the power grid in the Ajman region, with the core construction content being the construction of three new 132/11kV high-voltage substations. After multiple rounds of survey and demonstration, the site selection ultimately identified three key development areas in the local area - Baxia, Rumaila, and Liwala.

132/11kV is the core voltage level in the regional distribution system of the United Arab Emirates. The newly built substation will undertake the full process function of receiving high-voltage electrical energy from the main grid, gradually reducing voltage, and diverting it to end users. Each substation is equipped with advanced relay protection systems, automated monitoring platforms, and remote dispatch interfaces. After completion, it will become a central node for power supply in various areas, ensuring efficient satisfaction of the dual needs of large-scale industrial and commercial electricity consumption and daily residential electricity consumption.

Shortcomings in power supply highlight urban expansion, forcing power grid upgrade

As an important urban area in the northern part of the United Arab Emirates, Ajman has experienced rapid growth in urban appearance and population size in the past decade. New residential communities are constantly being delivered, large commercial complexes are opening one after another, and small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises and warehousing logistics parks are densely spread along the main roads. However, the original planning of the power grid was mostly based on load forecasting from ten years ago, and the substation capacity and line transmission capacity have approached the design limit. During the high temperature period in summer, the air conditioning load overlaps with industrial electricity consumption, and some areas have long-term overloaded operation of transformers. Voltage fluctuations and tripping phenomena occur from time to time, which affects residents' daily lives and production activities to varying degrees.

After the completion and operation of the three new substations, significant improvements will be made in three dimensions: firstly, the newly added substation capacity will completely release the current power supply bottleneck, and there will be no more overload risks during peak hours; Secondly, the dual circuit power supply structure, combined with intelligent switching devices within the station, significantly improves power supply reliability and fault self-healing capabilities; Thirdly, the new station adopts modern and environmentally friendly electrical equipment, which significantly reduces the energy consumption level compared to older stations, and optimizes the operation noise and maintenance frequency synchronously. As a result, the Ajman regional power grid will move from the stage of "barely following" to a new pattern of "moderately advanced", reserving sufficient margin for the continuous expansion of the city in the next five to ten years.

EtihadWE continues to deepen the the Belt and Road energy corridor

EtihadWE, the United Arab Emirates Federal Hydroelectric Company, has been continuously increasing its investment in hydropower infrastructure in the northern region in recent years, with upgrading the power grid and addressing supply capacity gaps as a long-term strategic direction. The $150 million substation bidding project is a key milestone in this strategic layout. From a broader perspective, this project not only serves the local electricity safety guarantee in Ajman, but also has profound significance in regional interconnectivity. Keywords: Middle East news and information, substations, infrastructure

The power network integration between the northern emirates of the United Arab Emirates is accelerating, and the construction of three new stations will fill the structural gap in the northern ring network of the Ajman region, allowing for more flexible scheduling and mutual assistance of electricity between emirates such as Sharjah, Ajman, and Umm Al Quwain, reducing the impact of single node failures on the entire network. At the same time, relying on standardized and intelligent new station design, project experience and technical specifications are expected to be promoted and replicated in more infrastructure projects in the future. The steady progress of the project is a vivid portrayal of the the Belt and Road energy infrastructure cooperation in the United Arab Emirates, which continues to inject strong and green energy power into regional economic and social development. After all three substations are completed and connected to the grid, Ajman's urban carrying capacity, industrial investment attraction, and residents' quality of life will experience a systematic leap. The energy future of this northern emirate is becoming clear and solid in the ink of the bidding announcement.Editor/Gao Xue