KEMA designs energy supply system for the World

Power grid reliability vital.

Off the coast of Dubai a unique island kingdom in the shape of a world map will shortly rise from the sea. Dedicated high-voltage cables are to supply the islands’ power from the mainland. And local energy company DEWA has commissioned KEMA to produce the entire conceptual design for the electricity infrastructure. 
 
Dubai’s coastline is small and ocean property is much sought after. Project developer Nakheel specializes in offshore real estate developments. Following the great success of the now world-famous Palm Projects – artificial islands off the coast whose outline resembles a palm tree – an even more evocative creation is in prospect. Nakheel has commissioned Dutch dredging company Van Oord to build ‘The World’: three hundred islands four kilometers out to sea, which when viewed from the air will look like a map of the globe. Each of The World’s islands will be available for purchase by private investors and developers. The first of the new land bodies will take shape in 2008.
 
Reliability
Building a power plant so far out to sea would be expensive and would use up too much of the valuable real estate. So most of the islands’ power will be supplied from the mainland. The reliability of the cable infrastructure is therefore of the utmost importance.
KEMA has been chosen to design a reliable grid, partly because of the organization’s extensive experience working with high-voltage cables and specialist knowledge of underwater cables acquired through involvement in similar projects elsewhere.
Primary transmission will be via high voltage cables buried in the seabed. Offshore, the cables will form a circuit, with transformer stations supplying medium voltage submarine cables that will bring power to the various islands.