FNC’s Technical Affairs, Energy and Mineral Resources Committee

The Federal National Council’s, FNC’s, Technical Affairs, Energy and Mineral Resources Committee discussed the policy of the Federal Electricity and Water Authority, FEWA, during its meeting at the headquarters of the General Secretariat in Dubai yesterday.

The meeting was headed by Mohammed Ali Al Kamali, Chairman of the Committee, and was attended by several representatives of the government authorities concerned and organisations in the country.

The meeting was also attended by committee members, including Afra Rashid Al Basti, the Committee’s Rapporteur for this meeting, Matar Suhail Al Dhaheri, Khaled Ali bin Zayed, Jamal Mohammed Al Hai and Aisha Rashid Laytim.

Besides this, the representatives of the local authorities and organisations offering electricity and water services in the country, and those connected to the FEWA, such as the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority, Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority, Sharjah Municipality, Umm Al Qaiwain Municipality Department, Municipality and Planning Department in Ajman, Abu Dhabi City Municipality, as well as the representatives of the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, were also present at the meeting.

Afra Rashid Al Basti said that the representatives of these authorities gave a briefing about the best practices and expertise adopted by the electricity and water authorities in the country to support renewable energy and alternative energy from waste, as well as water desalination and wastewater treatment stations, and how to benefit from them.

She explained that the meeting discussed the consumer brackets for electricity and water, in relation to the individuals’ residence, and the agricultural and industrial sectors, and the role of the municipalities and authorities in providing No Objection Certificates and Clearance Certificates for the new subscriptions. Besides these, it also discussed the procedures being followed during emergencies and peak period of electricity consumption, and alternative emergency plans.

She pointed out that they were told about the mechanism of co-ordination and co-operation adopted by the local authorities and FEWA for matters pertaining to federal roads, federal hospitals, residential complexes and other establishments. The authorities answered all the questions posed by the members of the committee, she remarked.

The committee discussed three main points, namely, the strategic plan of FEWA, development of the services offered to the citizens, and the fees for the services offered to the citizens.

Al Basti stressed that the committee had requested for additional information and statistics from the authorities about the three main points.

She emphasised that the committee, as part of its work plan to discuss this topic, would make field visits, so that it can adopt the best recommendations and prepare its report.