Towers left empty 'due to power supply delays'

EMPTY FEELING: A lack of power supply is leaving completed buildings empty, according to industry insider. (Getty Images)

New buildings in Dubai are lying empty for anything up to a year after completion because of delays in setting up power supplies, a source within the emirate’s building industry has told Arabian Business.

The well placed source said as new parts of the city were developed it may become increasingly common to see entire areas with buildings vacant because of a lack of basic utilities like electricity.

He said: “There’s a lot of construction happening where they are not very well connected with DEWA. There are high-rise towers ready and the power infrastructure is not there from a period of a few months to up to a year.

“In new areas it may become very common to see whole areas of new buildings not inhabited because of this.”

The claims come as concerns spread that a shortage of power supply may be holding back the pace of development.

But a spokeswoman for Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) said there was sufficient electricity capacity to meet demand and that it was committed to building new power stations to ensure there were no shortages in the future.

Energy analysts have warned the expansion in power supply is not keeping pace with burgeoning economic growth, leading to a widening gap between power generation and consumption.

While economic forecasting company Global Insight has predicted that power consumption in the Middle East will rise by 50 percent over the next five years, it estimates power generation will only increase by 30 percent in comparison.

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Quick we need some spin!
Posted by Aadil, Johannesburg, South Africa on Tuesday 12 August 2008 at 18:50 UAE time


"Where are the Marketing and PR guys. Are those useless expats on a go slow again because of the heat? There's no problem. This bs negative news is unacceptable. Get some hype and spin going - ASAP" - Urgent message from the government of Dubai.

Lack of conguence
Posted by Nafees Ahamed, Abu Dhabi, UAE on Tuesday 12 August 2008 at 13:11 UAE time


This shows lack lack of congruence between the energy sector and the real estate. MACRO level planning is required. Simply building the tower won't help. A country in the path of growth should possibly balance all the related sectors within the economy

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