Abu Dhabi's data centre industry power investments to exceed Dh37 bn: TAQA CEO
29 May 2025 23:57
ABU DHABI (WAM)Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA) is poised to significantly bolster Abu Dhabi's burgeoning data and artificial intelligence hub, with its CEO and Managing Director announcing that total investments to support the power needs of the data centre industry in the emirate will exceed Dh37 billion.This announcement aligns with TAQA's broader strategy to provide clean, certified, and reliable energy for critical infrastructure.Speaking to WAM on the sidelines of the World Utilities Congress 2025, Jasim Husain Thabet, TAQA's Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director (GCEO & MD) highlighted the company's robust growth and strategic acquisitions.With a market capitalisation estimated at approximately Dh360 billion, TAQA stands among the top five companies in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East for electricity generation, transmission, and water desalination, operating across 25 countries.Over the past four years, TAQA has impressively doubled its electricity production capacity to 56 gigawatts, surpassing the total electricity consumption of the United Kingdom. Recent strategic moves include the acquisition of an 875-megawatt gas-powered electricity station in Uzbekistan, in partnership with Mubadala, supporting Uzbekistan's energy transition and opening new Central Asian markets.Additionally, TAQA's acquisition of "Transmission Investment," a leading UK-based energy and utility investment platform.Further enhancing its clean energy portfolio, TAQA is currently constructing a 1-gigawatt gas turbine power station. In collaboration with Masdar, where TAQA holds a major stake, the company is also developing 5 gigawatts of solar energy backed by 19 gigawatt-hours of battery storage. This integrated solar and battery system, designed to deliver a continuous supply of 1 gigawatt for 24 hours, will be the largest project of its kind globally.TAQA aims to invest Dh75 billion by 2030 to triple its electricity generation capacity to 150 gigawatts, he said.
As part of this growth strategy, the company also plans to develop water desalination plants with a combined capacity of 1.3 billion gallons per day, with two-thirds utilising highly efficient reverse osmosis technology.
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