Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower) has started operating the first phase of its new District Cooling plant in Za’abeel, Dubai, with a cooling capacity of 27,750 refrigeration tonnes (RT).
The total cooling capacity of the plant will be 50,000 RT upon completion and will be interconnected with the company’s existing district cooling plant in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) to deliver total cooling energy of 112,000 RT, to serve the existing and upcoming projects in the area. The projects are the DIFC buildings, the Dubai World Trade Center and the Emirates towers, the Wasl1 mega-development, the ‘One Za’abeel’ and others.
The Za’abeel plant is built according to high-level engineering and operational design criteria and international standards. It is equipped with advanced equipment and modern technologies. Empower awarded the construction contracts worth AED164 million at the end of 2020 to build and provide the plant.
The new plant is designed according to the highest international standards of construction and building design. It considered the criteria of sustainable green buildings and modern urban development in Dubai and the general and external appearance of the buildings in the district.
Ahmad bin Shafar, CEO of Empower, said that the Za’abeel District Cooling plant uses advanced cooling technologies with minimal energy and water consumption and will feature two Thermal Energy Storage (TES) units to enhance energy efficiency during peak hours. In addition to using Treated Sewage Effluent (TSE) technology that reduces freshwater consumption and conserves natural resources, the plant will also utilize artificial intelligence (AI) in its operations.