Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) | DEWA’s adoption of generative AI accelerates digital transformation and the development of innovative services

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) utilises Artificial Intelligence (AI) across all its services and operations. DEWA invests in advanced infrastructure to accelerate digital transformation, enhance the happiness of stakeholders, and provide digital services that support sustainability while reducing our carbon footprint.

“We are working tirelessly to achieve the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to position Dubai at the forefront of utilising AI in the government sector. We are prepared for future technological transformations and substantial changes in government work. We keep pace with the accelerating advancements in various fields, especially AI. We work to develop DEWA’s digital channels using the latest disruptive technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, in line with the UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031. We started using AI in 2017 and are working to enrich DEWA’s services with generative AI and ChatGPT. DEWA is the world’s first utility and government organisation in the UAE to use this modern technology. This is part of DEWA’s continuous efforts to enhance its leadership locally and globally, add value to customers, employees, and stakeholder experience and promote their happiness. DEWA achieved the second place in the 2023 Dubai Government Customer index with 96.7% by the Dubai Government Excellence Program (DGEP), which belongs to The General Secretariat of the Executive Council of Dubai,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.

“We utilise AI in all our services and operations to reduce the number of visits to our customer happiness centres and contribute to shaping a new digital future for Dubai through Digital DEWA, the digital arm of DEWA. We aim to make DEWA the first digital utility in the world with autonomous systems for renewable energy and storage, with the expansion of AI and digital services. The smart adoption of DEWA’s services reached 99.62% in 2023. DEWA has completed the digital integration of more than 90 projects with over 65 government and private organisations,” added Al Tayer.

DEWA’s most prominent innovative solutions using AI, generative AI, and the latest Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies include:

The smart assistants Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Security Copilot:

DEWA has provided its employees with the smart assistants Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Security Copilot, making it the first government entity in the UAE to adopt this advanced technology from Microsoft. DEWA is among the first utilities in the world to adopt Microsoft’s Copilot. Copilot's features are powered by generative Artificial Intelligence technology. It enriches the employee experience, facilitates the performance of their tasks, automates workflow, and strengthens cooperation between work teams, in addition to saving effort and time. Copilot’s features can be modified to suit each individual employee and to meet their growing needs while ensuring smoother operations. This also helps to keep pace with new and accelerating requirements, anticipate challenges, and turn them into promising opportunities. These features align with the highest standards of privacy and security followed by DEWA as it implements AI service protection technologies.

Rammas

DEWA started using ChatGPT in April 2023 on its website and smart app through Rammas, DEWA’s virtual employee supported by AI, to enhance customers’ experience. ChatGPT improves Rammas’ ability to learn, understand, and analyse customer enquiries based on available data and information to respond promptly and accurately. Since the end of April and until December 2023, Rammas, supported by this advanced technology, has answered more than 138,600 queries through DEWA’s website and smart app. Customer happiness towards Rammas’ services supported by ChatGPT has reached 95%. Since its inception in the first quarter of 2017, Rammas has responded to over 8.5 million enquiries. Rammas services are available round the clock in Arabic and English through DEWA’s website, its smart app, Facebook, Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant, robots, and WhatsApp Business. DEWA is the first government organisation to launch Rammas in Arabic and English.

High Water Usage Alert

The proactive High-Water Usage Alert service helps customers detect leakage in water connections after the meter. The system sends instant notifications to the customer if there is an unusual increase in consumption.

Smart Living

Through the Smart Living dashboard, DEWA enables customers to monitor their consumption and obtain annual, monthly and daily consumption reports. ‘My Sustainable Living Programme’ allows customers to compare their consumption with those of similarly efficient homes in their area and get customised tips to reduce waste. Through the ‘Away Mode’ service, they can receive daily and weekly email reports when they are not at home, activate the service, or travel. The Self-Assessment tool includes a survey for customers to assess their consumption. After completing the assessment, customers receive a detailed report on their usage. DEWA Store provides a reliable list of technical service providers in the event of internal faults in the building. Customers can also benefit from the exclusive discounts on DEWA Store to make their homes smart.

Smart Response

DEWA offers the Smart Response Service for electricity and water technical notifications in 5 different languages. The Smart Response Service includes several features that empower customers, such as early self-diagnosis of technical interruptions in homes; and reducing the necessary steps to deal with complaints and follow-ups, while resolving issues through DEWA’s smart app and website. This provides a better experience and a more efficient service to customers. The service has reduced the number of steps to fix interruptions from 10 steps to 1.

Customer Care Centre

DEWA, through its Customer Care Centre, provides a consistent, integrated, and seamless experience for customers, enabling them to complete their transactions anytime and anywhere. The integrated interactive digital centre includes a unified and advanced information base that enables employees to respond to customer enquiries faster and more accurately. It also contains a dynamic list supported by AI so that employees can identify the caller’s account and communication records between the two sides. DEWA resolved 100% of customer complaints in 2023. DEWA’s Customer Care Centre set an outstanding service quality level of 96.72%, and maintained an average speed of answering calls in just 13 seconds.

Cyber Defence Centre

The Cyber Defence Centre at DEWA uses AI and Big Data to detect potential security risks and reduce incident response time. In 2023, DEWA in collaboration with Moro Hub, a subsidiary of Digital DEWA, inaugurated its Cyber Security Innovation Lab, the Waee Cybersecurity Centre, and Identity Intelligence Centre. This enhances the integrated protection for all stakeholders against cybersecurity risks and ensures secure access to DEWA’s cyberspace, especially with the acceleration of digital transformation at DEWA and its wide adoption of smart technologies.

Robotic Process Automation

The project works to automate business processes using AI to reduce repetitive and routine tasks. The RPA includes several initiatives such as the automation of server vulnerability status updates, data caching service monitoring of DEWA’s virtual AI employee, work clearance application (WCA) process, GIS (Geographic Information Systems) Monitoring System, Bank Guarantee Statement (bank offers), and Domain Naming System (DNS) Scanning.

Distribution Asset Criticality Ranking (DACR)

This system uses AI to digitise the criticality ranking of energy distribution assets for 34,000 transmission substations.

Automated Power Restoration Application

The app automatically locates the technical fault, isolates the affected network sections, reconfigures the network and restores the electrical supply automatically and without human interaction.

GT Intelligent controller

The Digital Twin Gas Turbine (GT) Intelligent Controller uses thermodynamics, AI, and machine learning to control gas turbines at M-Station in Jebel Ali, the largest power generation and water desalination plant in the UAE. It improves turbine efficiency, increases generation capacity, and reduces fuel consumption and harmful emissions.

AI Procurement in a Box toolkit

DEWA collaborated with the World Economic Forum’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and The Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution UAE (C4IR UAE), to launch AI Procurement in a Box toolkit. The toolkit provides advanced mechanisms for government procurement of AI technologies.

Power Block app

DEWA and Siemens have started a project to develop the smart Power Block app for the power station as a prototype on a larger scale. The app depends entirely on AI techniques as well as modern thermodynamic science.

One-Way Data System

DEWA has received an international patent for its One-Way Data System, which was designed and implemented internally to ensure the security of data transmission from power and desalination stations to a shared platform. This builds a knowledge base for decision-makers, enabling them to access data through smart devices.

Smart Power Plant

DEWA’s Smart Power Plant is a centralised information system that automatically gathers data from control systems in real-time and is capable of functions such as watering plants using the One-Way Data Device. The operational system is clear and comprehensive, allowing quick analysis and fast decision-making to improve performance and prevent potential mishaps.

Forecast PV Panel Production System

The system relies on modern technologies such as 3D cloud systems, AI, deep learning, high-density cameras on the main satellite and a network of metrological stations to predict irradiance, dust, and cloud movement, which can affect PV performance.

Water Smart Distribution Management System

The system aims to increase the visibility and management of its water distribution network. It has a centralised around-the-clock system for remote control and monitoring, as well as innovative smart equipment and systems. It also uses Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) installed at interconnections between the transmission and distribution pipelines. In addition, it is linked with advanced water SCADA (Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition) and hydraulic-management systems. The system will improve fault location and isolation, and lower costs.

Copilot Smart Assistant

DEWA has adopted Microsoft Power Platform and its AI-powered tool Copilot, to enhance DEWA’s digital transformation. Copilot will assist software developers at DEWA in building smart programmes and applications that support DEWA’s operations more smoothly and efficiently by utilising generative AI tools.

Asset Performance Management

The app manages key equipment at the Jebel Ali Power Plant and Water Desalination Complex using AI and cloud platforms.

Operation and Strategic Planning Improving System

The system is used to manage operational performance. It was developed using data science to improve the performance of the power generation units and thus improve efficiency.

Simulator and Training Centre

The centre enhances the capabilities of engineers and technicians at DEWA. It enables trainees to experience real-life conditions and provides them with the skills needed for dealing with different circumstances.

Spot Robot

DEWA uses the four-legged Spot Robots to detect faults, test connection points of high-voltage cables, detect leakage in water pipes, conduct security and monitoring patrols, create 3D maps and digital twins, ensure construction works are aligned with specifications using multiple-angle cameras, and manage different facilities such as warehouses, in addition to helping people of determination.

Industrial Arm

DEWA uses the Industrial Arm Robot to clean the surface of low-voltage electrical equipment, painting and welding operations and for cleaning equipment and valves.