H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, on Tuesday inaugurated the new expansion of the Al Layyah station, a project with a total cost of AED2.1 billion and a total capacity of 1,026 megawatts.

Upon his arrival, His Highness cut the ribbon for the opening of the main building, at Al Layyah station, and watched a video presentation by Abdullah Abdul Rahman Al Shamsi, Director-General of the Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority (SEWGA), discussing the investments targeted for electricity production and water desalination sector, and the Authority’s production capacity.

Al Shamsi also reviewed the total capacity of SEWGA electricity production assets, the number of desalination plants in Sharjah, in addition to the distribution capacity of the natural gas network, the number of pumping stations, and the size of the natural gas network at the emirate level.

The Ruler of Sharjah listened to a presentation on the project, which comes within the framework of developing the electricity production sector system and is SEWGA's largest investment in the field of energy in the emirate. The project aims to increase the production capacity of the station and contribute to raising its operational efficiency, in addition to reducing carbon emissions.

His Highness and the audience watched a video on the stages of development of Al Layyah station new expansion, and the modern works and technologies that will be used.

He was briefed on the model of Al Layyah station project, which includes two gas turbines with a capacity of 345 megawatts, two boilers to recover waste heat, and a steam turbine with a capacity of 336 megawatts, whereas the total installed capacity of the new expansion will reach 1,026 megawatts, and the operational efficiency will reach 58%, in addition to reducing the volume of carbon emissions by 2.2 tons annually.

The inauguration was attended by Saeed Sultan Baljiu Al Suwaidi, Chairman of SEWGA; Mohammed Obaid Al Zaabi, Head of the Protocol and Hospitality Department; Abdullah Abdul Rahman Al Shamsi, Director-General of SEWGA; and a number of the Authority’s department directors and project engineers.