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Approved contractors carry the submissions, inspections and energisation of 11 kV and LV works. Here is where that saves time, and where it does not.
Every new building in Dubai connects to the DEWA network through an approved contractor. For low and medium voltage works that means a contractor on DEWA’s approved list, responsible for the submissions, the inspections and the energisation of the installation. AZEMCO is one of 13 such contractors in Dubai.
Where approval saves time
The time savings come early. An approved contractor knows the drawings, load schedules and test records DEWA expects, so submissions are right the first time. Inspection slots are booked against a programme that already allows for them, and test results arrive in the format the inspector needs.
Where it does not
Approval does not move a substation. If the plot needs a new 11 kV substation, the room, the ventilation, the access and the cable routes have to be agreed with the architect and the main contractor long before electrical works start. The most common delays we see are rooms that are too small and cable routes blocked by other services.
What to ask your MEP contractor
- Is the company itself on DEWA’s approved list for the voltage involved, or does it rely on a partner?
- Who signs the submissions, and who attends the inspections?
- Which tests will be witnessed, and by whom?
- How many energisations has the team completed in the last two years?
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