The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has budgeted 6.42 billion dirhams ($1.75 billion) to complete ongoing projects and begin new ones, the utility's chief executive, Saeed Mohammed Al-Tayer, was quoted as saying.

The Dewa funds are "part of its strategy to enhance the productivity of its network and plants", Al Tayer was quoted as saying in the Gulf News newspaper.

The utility of the cash-strapped emirate said in January it wanted to boost private sector involvement in its power and water sector to save costs. The move marks a policy change for the government, which had until now owned and operated all Dubai's power plants. -Reuters