Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has approved strategic projects worth more than Dh27 billion ($7.34 billion) based on the independent power producer (IPP) model in its new budget.

Dewa has announced a total budget of Dh23.65 billion ($6.43 billion) for 2016, a slight increase from Dh22.873 billion ($6.2 billion) last year.

“Dewa has assigned a large part of the budget to clean-energy-related projects in support of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 launched to provide 75 per cent of Dubai’s total power output from clean energy. This will make Dubai’s carbon footprint the lowest in the world,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, the managing director and chief executive of Dewa.

Dewa, he stated, has also allocated funds for several key projects, including the construction of nine new 132 kV substations at a cost of Dh775 million ($211 million) and the extension of 256 km of 132 kV cables, and other power transmission and distribution projects and smart communication networks.