UAE utility withdraws Yemen and transfers solar energy plants to the government

Global South Utilities, based in Abu Dhabi, has handed over two solar power plants to Yemen's Public Electricity Corporation. This was after the?Yemeni government requested that all?Emirati firms leave the country. GSU informed Public Electricity Corporation in a letter of January 22 that all maintenance and operations teams had been evacuated from the Aden Solar Power Plant, with a capacity of 120 Megawatts (MW), as well as the 53 MW Shabwa solar plant.

GSU stated that "Global South Utilities didn't suspend operations unilaterally" or "abruptly". Both power plants were handed over at full technical capacity and under a formal handover procedure. United Arab Emirates withdrew its remaining military force from Yemen at the end last month, after Saudi Arabia supported a call by the UAE for the forces to leave Yemen within 24 hours. This deepened a crisis between two Gulf oil producers and Gulf powers.

GSU planned to create a portfolio of energy projects in Yemen with a combined capacity of?more than 1,000 MW. Plans also included sustainable transmission and distribution infrastructure.

The company said that it had stopped several renewable energy projects in Yemen after leaving the country.

GSU, owned by Resources Investments, an Abu Dhabi-based investment firm, is expanding its presence across Africa and Asia with a particular focus on solar, hybrid and wind energy projects. Reporting by Rachna uppal, Writing by Tala ramadan, Editing by David Goodman

(source: Reuters)