The Emirate of Abu Dhabi established the Water and Electricity Department in 1966 with the express objective of providing safe and reliable water and power supplies to consumers and in anticipation of the need for the developmental work in the already burgeoning emirate.  Since then, the demand for water and electricity has increased tremendously, and foreseeing this need, the Government of Abu Dhabi, through the Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Authority (ADWEA), embarked on a program for the privatization of the water and power sector in 1998.