World Bank report ranks the UAE, represented by DEWA, 1st in MENA and 4th internationally for ease of access to electricity

Dubai: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has made a new significant contribution to the UAE's global standing, as the nation is now ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa and fourth internationally for ease of access to electricity, according to the World Bank Report 2014: Doing Business released yesterday. "DEWA has achieved this new milestone in line with its vision to become a sustainable world-class utility, and in accordance with its commitment to achieving the vision of the UAE's leadership, fulfilling the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and promoting Dubai's position as a global hub for trade, finance, and tourism," said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of DEWA. "DEWA continues its pursuit for success to optimise overall operations, improve services, and achieve excellence by implementing scientific methods and best international practices. Having been benchmarked with utilities across the globe, DEWA is one of best utilities worldwide compared its counterparts." "Through our continuous efforts, we aim to enhance the efficiency of DEWA's services to support the business environment in Dubai. We do this by providing energy supplies to meet a growing demand for electricity and supporting production and development projects in the Emirate," added Al Tayer. "DEWA has an integrated system that includes effective initiatives and new developmental projects to achieve the highest levels of efficiency and reliability. DEWA has exerted considerable efforts to optimise its operations and services significantly; further enhancing its efficiency and services and reducing costs," said Al Tayer. "We consistently work on simplifying transactions by adopting cutting-edge technologies and software to provide fast and accessible services to our customers. Through this, we aim to secure sustainable electricity and water supplies to achieve the vision of our leadership. We continuously plan ahead to manage supply and demand for the future," added Al Tayer. "DEWA has achieved very competitive results that surpass the private sector, even leading European and American companies, in efficiency and reliability. This is demonstrated by our reducing losses in electricity transmission and distribution networks to just 3.5%, compared to 6-7% in Europe and the US. Network line losses in the water sector decreased to 10.8% compared to 15% in North America, setting another international benchmark, and highlighting our commitment to meet the growth in demand for water and promoting sustainability." "DEWA's results are some of the best internationally. For customer minutes lost per year, DEWA's figures reached 5.78 minutes, significantly better than 16.4 minutes recorded by counterparts in the European Union," concluded Al Tayer. – Emirates News Agency, WAM