Dubai, UAE: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has approved 59,058 No Objection Certificate (NOC) applications in the first half of 2024 as part of the Soqoor programme. This initiative supports DEWA’s efforts to keep pace with the urban expansion in Dubai. The Soqoor programme makes it easier for consultants and contractors to obtain DEWA’s approval from the first time when submitting NOC applications and field operations services for their projects.

“We are committed to achieving the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to enhance Dubai’s leadership in serving people, simplify and reduce government procedures, accelerate the completion and provision of services, and ease doing business. This advances efficiency and productivity and elevates the competitiveness of the economic sectors and the business environment in Dubai to world-leading levels, raising society’s quality of life, and enhancing our future readiness. This also supports the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.

“DEWA approved 59,058 applications for the NOC service submitted by 1,951 consultants and contractors from the beginning of this year until the end of June 2024. The Transmission Power division approved 32,072 applications, the Distribution Power division approved 17,955 applications, and the Water & Civil division approved 9,031 applications,” explained Hussain Lootah, Executive Vice President – Transmission Power at DEWA.

The Soqoor programme is the first government initiative of its kind to evaluate consultants and contractors in Dubai. It assesses their compliance with DEWA’s requirements, standards, terms and conditions, and guidelines when submitting their applications. The programme accelerates the time for obtaining DEWA’s approvals, reduces or avoids violations, damages and fines, saves time and effort, and improves field operations, in addition to protecting DEWA’s assets. Consultants and contractors who achieve the best performance according to the highest international standards will win the ‘Soqoor’ awards in the project and service categories, such as “No Objection Certificate Services for Infrastructure Projects,” “Electricity Network Services,” and “Water Network Services.”