Empower Continues Expanding Dubai’s Future-Ready District Cooling Infrastructure

Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation PJSC (Empower), the world's largest district cooling services provider, reaffirmed its pivotal role in strengthening Dubai’s position as a global benchmark for advanced district cooling infrastructure through the expansion of its plants and networks across key locations. These efforts support the transition toward greater energy efficiency and reducing pressure on electricity networks, in line with the city’s rapid urban and population growth.

Empower emphasized that the growing importance of district cooling infrastructure is reshaping urban development strategies worldwide, as governments, city planners, utilities and regulatory agencies increasingly turn to district cooling solutions to reduce pressure on overstressed power grids and address rising energy demand caused by rapid urbanization and extreme heat. The company currently owns and operates an extensive infrastructure comprising an underground distribution pipeline network of over 430 kilometres and 90 district cooling plants strategically located across Dubai as of the end of 2025, reflecting the robustness of its operational model and its ability to meet increasing demand efficiently and reliably.

Speaking during the opening remarks of a recent webinar organized by the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Cool Coalition under the theme ‘District Cooling as Urban Energy Infrastructure’, H.E. Ahmad Bin Shafar, CEO of Empower; Special Advisor on District Cooling to UNEP’s initiatives; Board Member Emeritus of the International District Energy Association (IDEA); and Chairman of the District Cooling Operators Association – GCC, reiterated the importance of investing in district cooling infrastructure to address growing climate challenges. “District cooling is gaining increasing global importance as a practical solution to the challenges of extreme heat and urban heat islands, as well as their impact on public health and quality of life. Dubai has cemented its position as a global benchmark for advanced district cooling infrastructure, guided by the forward-looking vision of our wise leadership, which has made energy efficiency and sustainability fundamental pillars of urban development”, Bin Shafar said.

”At Empower, we continue to invest in expanding our plants and networks through a modular and scalable development model, ensuring that we keep pace with the emirate’s rapid growth while providing reliable and sustainable cooling services that support quality of life, reduce energy consumption, and limit carbon emissions. Empower has successfully transformed district cooling into a reliable utility service that supports Dubai’s ambitious sustainability and energy-efficiency goals. From an initial capacity of 5,400 refrigeration tons (RT) in 2004, Empower has grown into the world’s largest district cooling services provider, currently operating with a total connected capacity of 1.7 million RT, ” the CEO added.

Empower continues to implement well-planned expansion strategies to enhance its cooling capacity and broaden its services across Dubai. The company recently awarded the design contract for its fifth district cooling plant in Business Bay, which will have a total cooling capacity of approximately 44,000 RT upon completion. Empower also announced the addition of 33,500 RT to its total connected capacity during the first quarter of 2026 and expanded its customer base to approximately 160,000 customers across 1,776 buildings.

In 2025, Empower commenced operations at its Deira Waterfront district cooling plant, with a total cooling capacity of 39,000 RT, serving more than 46 buildings. The company also awarded the excavation and foundation works contract for a new cooling plant in Al Sufouh 2, for a capacity of 23,400 RT, while construction continues for its second plant in Jumeirah Village, which will have a capacity of approximately 37,000 RT following the award of the construction contract in 2025. During the same year, Empower further awarded the design contract for a new cooling plant in Dubai Science Park, which will serve approximately 80 buildings with a total capacity of up to 47,000 RT.

These successive projects reaffirm Empower’s ability to keep pace with the growing demand for sustainable cooling solutions and enhance Dubai’s future readiness through reliable and flexible infrastructure that supports the emirate’s drive towards energy efficiency and reinforces its global leadership in the district cooling sector.