The electricity systems of several emirates will be interconnected within two months as rising population and new industrial units increase power consumption throughout the country, a senior official said. The UAE-wide power grid will provide more stable electricity supply and allow energy exchange among emirates, said Waleed Ali Salman, director of electricity at the Federal Electricity and Water Authority (Fewa). Fewa's utility operations cover Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Umm al-Qaiwain and the Dhaid area of Sharjah. Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah have their separate utility authorities according to a report in 'Gulf News.' The Dh820-million programme to establish the national power grid was to have been completed in 2005 but only Abu Dhabi and Dubai were able to connect their systems in that year, Salman said. "We expect completion of the grid by the end of March," he told Gulf News. One of the missing links was a 400 kilo volt (kv) sub-station in Dhaid that should be ready soon, he added. --MORE
