Empower awards contracts for new district cooling project: UAE’s district cooling company Emirates Central Cooling Corporation (Empower) has awarded several contracts for the development of a new district cooling plant in Dubai’s Jumeirah, according to a company disclosure to the Dubai Financial Market. No financial details on the project or the new contracted developers were provided.

The details: The new Jumeirah plant will have a 48k refrigeration ton (RT) production capacity once it becomes operational by 3Q 2024. Empower also said the new facility would be aligned with green building standards in Dubai, without providing details on expected emissions cuts from the alternative construction approach. Alongside development of the new plant, the company said it would also work on expanding its RT transmission pipelines in a bid to upscale its cooling infrastructure and expand its services across Dubai.

Empower’s on a roll to boost its portfolio: The company acquired five district cooling plants valued at AED 1.1 bn (USD 300 mn) last May from the Dubai Aviation City Corporation in a bid to add 110k of RT to its portfolio. The company’s assets also include some of Dubai’s most notable infrastructure spots including The Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai Healthcare City, Meydan City, Dubai Studio City, Dubai Maritime City, Dubailand, Palm Jumeirah, Bluewaters Island, and Business Bay. Earlier in April, the company kicked off operations on its AED 193 mn district cooling plant with a 47k RT capacity in Dubailand. Empower — which is majority owned by Dubai’s Water and Electricity Authority and Emirates Power — IPO’d in November 2022.