All you need to know about Empower Dubai
With residents experiencing high temperatures for a large part of the year, centralised district cooling systems have become a great necessity in Dubai. They are energy-efficient and help to keep the temperature pleasant and cool. In Dubai, the installation of such central cooling plants started when DEWA, in collaboration with TECOM Investments, set up the Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation or Empower, to facilitate district cooling in Dubai. What is Empower? How has it helped the residents of Dubai? And what are its charges? Read on to find out all about Empower District Cooling in Dubai.
What is Empower Dubai?
Empower is a district cooling company in Dubai that was established in 2003 with a Royal Decree issued by the Ruler of Dubai. It started out with a single temporary plant in DIFC and has grown to become one of the world’s largest District Cooling Services (DCS) provider by capacity.
Empower Dubai serves over 110,000 individual and corporate clients in 1,400 buildings. The connected capacity is 1.4 million refrigeration tons (RT) approximately. Whereas the contracted capacity is approximately 1.5 million RT.
Over this period, it has facilitated district cooling in various landmark projects, such as Jumeirah Lake Towers, Deira Waterfront, Jumeirah Group, Bluewaters Island, DIFC, Business Bay, Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai Healthcare City, Discovery Gardens, Palm Jumeirah, Ibn Battuta Mall, Dubai Production City, Dubai Design District and others.
In 2024, it achieved the Guinness World Record for its Business Bay District Cooling project.
How to register on Empower?
Owners and tenants can register for Empower district cooling services by submitting a set of documents and paying a security deposit.
Documents required
- Proof of ownership/tenancy contract copy/attested contract of Ejari by Ejari registration office
When the tenancy/proprietary contract is under an individual’s name:
- Emirates ID
- Visa Transcript
- A copy of your passport
When the tenancy/proprietary contract is under a company’s name:
- A copy of the company’s trade licence/ Certificate of Incorporation for an overseas company
- A copy of Emirates ID, visa and passport of the authorised signatory
Empower’s Security Deposit Charges
Bear in mind that the security deposit charges are refundable. These charges will differ based on the type of property where Empower’s central cooling plant is installed.
Property Type | Amount |
|---|---|
Property Type Residential – Flat/Apartment | Amount AED 2,000 |
Property Type Residential – Villa | Amount AED 3,000 |
Property Type Commercial – Office | Amount AED 4,000 |
Property Type Commercial – Villa | Amount AED 5,000 |
Property Type Retail stores/shops | Amount AED 15,000 |
Things to consider:
- Complete the registration only after clearing the outstanding balance on other current active accounts (if any)
- Customers can pay via cash, cheque or credit card
Charges for Empower’s District Cooling Service
Here is an overview of the charges for Empower’s district cooling services in Dubai:
Consumption Charges
Consumption charges are recorded by the meter installed in the property at a rate of AED 0.568 fils per RT per hour.
Demand Charges
Demand Charges are a measure of how much power has been used by a customer at a particular time. It is a recurring fee that you have to pay to get a constant supply of cooling services in Dubai. It is calculated at the rate of AED 750 per Refrigeration Ton (RT) per annum and paid monthly.
Meter Maintenance
Meter charges cover the cost of reading, testing and maintenance of the meter set up at the unit. It is charged either at a rate of AED 50 for three months or AED 30 per month with respect to the location.
Disconnection Fee
Empower can disconnect your district cooling services for non-payment of outstanding bills, for which customers will be charged a ‘disconnection fee’. The charges for residential units are AED 1,000 while for retail units, the disconnection fee is AED 2,000.
However, in the case of temporary voluntary disconnection, you will be subject to a charge of AED 150, provided there is no outstanding balance.
Fuel Surcharges
At the recommendation of the Supreme Council of Energy in Dubai, DEWA is authorised to raise the tariff by 15% in each of the existing slabs of electricity and water consumption. Therefore, the tariff increase is transferred to the customers.
Meter Testing Fee
If you request for a meter test and the meter is not found to be faulty, a charge of AED 160 will be levied upon you. However, if there is a fault with the meter, you are not liable to pay any charges.
One-time Charges
Some charges are payable at the time of registration with the facility. These include:
- Connection Charge: AED 2,000
- Administration Fee: AED 1,000
In addition to these, there are also Fuel Surcharges collected on the basis of agreements with DEWA and Empower.
Please note these charges are subject to 5% VAT.
Empower Bill Payment Options
There are many ways to pay Empower’s utility bill. You can transfer the payable amount directly to banks or use Empower’s online payment facilities.
Banks
You can pay the bill by depositing the payable amount in any of these banks in Dubai:
- Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank
- HSBC Bank Middle East Limited
- Mashreq Bank
- Emirates NBD
Make sure to send your valid transfer proof to billing@empower.ae, once you have deposited the payment to any of these bank accounts. Empower online payment options make life easy for consumers.
Alternatively, you can make Empower payments using the online banking facility for Emirates NBD Online Banking, ADCB Corporate Internet Banking Portal (ProCash) and Emirates NBD Bank ATM. Mobile banking options include Emirates NBD Mobile Banking, ADCB Mobile Banking and mPay – Dubai Now.
Payments by cheque can be made at Empower Customer Service Counters:
- Empower Head Office – Al Hudaiba Awards Building, Block A, 8th Floor, 2nd December Street
- Jumeirah Beach Residence, JBR, Murjan 1, Plaza Level (P09)
- Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Almas Tower, 1st Floor, Shop No. 3, JLT
- Executive Towers – Tower F, Bay Avenue, Mezzanine Level, Block 12, Business Bay
The counters operate from 07:30 am to 03:30 pm on Monday to Thursday and 07:30 am to 12:00 pm on Fridays.
Cheques are to be made in the name of Empower. Cash can be paid at Al Ansari Exchange branches or Emirates NBD Bank Cash Deposit Machines (by using the utility payment option). To pay via your credit card, you can visit the e-services section of the official Empower website. Empower quick pay options ensure that customers don’t miss deadlines.
Empower Final Billing Procedure
If you are an owner or tenant of apartments in Dubai, discontinuing your Empower district cooling services, here is how you can get your E-final bill.
- Go on the official website for Empower
- Go to Customer Care and E-Final Bill Procedure
- Enter your Username and Password
- Select My Services and click the Settlement Request option
- Pay outstanding amounts, if any
- Upload:
- Copy of new title deed
- Copy of ID proof – Emirates ID/passport (for individual)
- Copy of trade licence or Certificate of Incorporation (in the case of company)
After this, you can agree to the Terms & Conditions and click on Submit
You will soon receive a notification with your Reference Request Number that will help you keep track of your request. Check the status of your request by selecting the ‘Pending Requests’ option in the ‘My Services’ section on the Empower portal.
You should receive your Final Bills for Empower within two working days. Please keep in mind that you can only pay your final bill via cash or credit card.
Customers have to book an appointment to get their cash refund.
- Visit the official website – E-services.
- Next go to ‘My Services’
- Click on Pending Request
- Select Refund option
- Choose the ‘Mode of Refund’ (cash refund)
- Choose appointment date and time
- Agree to Terms & Conditions
- Submit
Customer can also collect their security deposit refund from the Empower Head Office by presenting their original deposit receipt and original Emirates ID or passport, for a cash refund. Companies cannot opt for cash refund. Similarly, if the refund value is more than AED 5,000, a cheque refund has to be requested.
If it is a cheque refund, bear in mind that the cheque preparation can take between 7 – 30 days before it’s ready for collection.
EMPOWER CALL CENTRE
You can find out more about Empower and its services by contacting their call centre, at +971-4-559-2888.
FAQS ABOUT EMPOWER UAE
How can I get a Clearance Certificate from Empower UAE?
The process to get a Clearance Certificate from Empower involves a few steps:
- Visit Empower’s e-services section
- Select My Services and make a request for a clearance certificate
- Select amount
- Settle previous balance (if any)
- The Clearance Certificate will be issued
What is the location of Empower Customer Service Centres Location
Empower Customer Care Centres are located all over Dubai. Branches can be found in Business Bay, Jumeirah Lakes Towers and JBR.
Business Bay
- Location: Shop No. 12 & 13, Mezzanine Level, Executive Towers Tower F, Bay Avenue, Business Bay
- Timings: 07:30 am – 03:30 pm | Weekend: closed
- Contact: +971-4-559-2888
Jumeirah Lake Towers
- Location: Shop No. 3, 1st Floor, Almas Tower, Jumeirah Lakes Towers
- Timings: 07:30 am – 03:30 pm |Weekend: closed
- Contact: +971-4-375-5555
Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR)
- Location: Plaza Level (P09), Murjan 1, JBR
- Timings: 07:30 am – 03:30 pm |Weekend: closed
- Contact: +971-4-559-2888
Empower Head Office Location
Empower head office is located on Jumeirah Beach Road. You can visit the head office, in case you need assistance on a particular matter, otherwise, a visit to any of its service centres will suffice.
- Location: Al Hudaiba Awards Building, Block A, 8th Floor, Jumeirah Beach Road – Dubai
- Timings: 07:30 am – 03:30 pm |Weekend: closed
- Empower Dubai Contact: +971-4-375-5555
And that’s a wrap to our guide on Empower, the district cooling provider in Dubai. With constant electricity usage at home, it could be difficult to keep the utility bill under check and residents are always looking for more affordable options. Empower energy solutions are effective and efficient.
If you’re moving homes, you can consider properties with district cooling. Here’s a list of the top areas with district cooling in Dubai that you can consider.
Want to know how homes in the UAE stayed cool in the old days? Barjeel, which are traditional wind towers, were set up at homes, making UAE homes cool without air-conditioners. Find out more about the traditional desert houses in the UAE and their fascinating architecture.
