Temporary Power for Events in Dubai: Generator Sizing, Distribution & Quote Checklist

01·Short Answer

The short answer.

Temporary power for an event in Dubai is planned in four steps: decide where the supply comes from, add up the loads, size the source with headroom, then design the distribution from the source to every load. The supply is either the venue’s own distribution boards, a generator arranged for the project, or both.

Generator size is worked out from the total load, not guessed. List every piece of equipment, convert the total to kVA (generators are rated in kVA, usually at a power factor of 0.8), allow for start-up currents and non-linear loads such as LED screens, and leave headroom. Then plan the distribution boards, cable routes, earthing, protection and testing.

For a quick, accurate quote, send the venue, the dates, an equipment list or technical rider with power ratings, and whether the venue supply is available. Redfox plans and installs temporary power for events as part of the same team that rigs and installs.

02·Step 1: The Source

Venue supply, generator, or both.

Venue supply. Indoor venues, malls, hotels and exhibition halls usually provide power from their own distribution boards. Ask the venue what is available at each point: the number of phases, the rating of the supply, the connector type and where it is. Connections to a building’s boards are normally made or approved by the venue’s own electrical team.
Generator. Outdoor events, desert and beach sites, boulevards and sites without enough venue supply need a generator, sized for the load and placed where exhaust, noise, fuel delivery and public access are controlled.
Both. Many events use the venue supply for part of the load and a generator for the rest, or a generator as backup for show-critical systems such as sound, video and emergency lighting.
Backup. Decide early what must keep running if the main supply fails. Show-critical loads can be put on a separate supply, a second generator or an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for control equipment.

03·Step 2: Generator Sizing

How to size a generator for an event.

Generator sizing is a calculation, and an electrical engineer or competent electrician should confirm it. The general method:

List every load. Lighting fixtures, LED screens and processors, sound systems and amplifiers, chain hoists, catering equipment, air conditioning and fans, inflatables, display screens, charging points and site lighting. Use the rated power of each item from the rider or the manufacturer’s data.
Add up the running load in kW. Multiply the quantity of each item by its rated power and add them together. Note which loads run at the same time and which do not (diversity), but do not assume diversity without knowing how the show will run.
Convert to kVA. Generators are usually rated in kVA. At the standard rating power factor of 0.8, kVA is roughly kW divided by 0.8.
Allow for starting currents. Motors, compressors, air conditioning units and motorised chain hoists draw more current when they start than when they run. Stagger start-ups or size for the peak.
Allow for non-linear loads. LED screens, LED drivers, dimmers and switch-mode power supplies can distort the supply (harmonics). Large non-linear loads may need a larger generator than the kW total suggests, so tell the supplier what the loads are.
Leave headroom. A generator should not run close to its maximum for long periods. A margin, commonly in the order of 20 to 25 percent, is typical, as confirmed by the engineer for the specific load and generator.
Do not oversize too far. Diesel generators that run very lightly loaded for long periods can suffer from incomplete combustion and fuel build-up (often called wet stacking). The aim is the right size, not the biggest one.
Plan the run time and fuel. Build-up, rehearsal, show days and break-down all need power. Work out the hours, the fuel supply and refuelling access, especially for multi-day events and seasonal installations.

04·Step 3: Distribution

From the source to every load.

Distribution boards. Power is split from the source through main and sub distribution boards to each area: stage, screens, sound, lighting, catering, front of house. Each circuit has its own protection.
Three-phase balance. On a three-phase supply, loads are spread evenly across the phases, so one phase is not overloaded while the others are lightly used. The UAE low voltage supply is 400/230 V at 50 Hz.
Separate circuits for sound. Sound systems are commonly fed from their own circuits, separate from lighting dimmers and motors, to reduce interference.
Cable sizing and voltage drop. Cables are sized for the current they carry, the length of the run and the installation conditions, including the high ambient temperatures in the UAE. Long runs need larger cables to keep voltage drop within limits.
Cable routes and protection. Cables are routed away from public walkways where possible, and protected with cable ramps, covers or overhead runs where they cross access routes. Outdoor runs use armoured or suitably rated cable.
Weatherproofing. Outdoor distribution boards, connectors and junction boxes are IP-rated for dust, sand, humidity and irrigation spray.
Earthing and protection. Generators and distribution are earthed, and final circuits are protected with residual current devices (RCDs) and correctly rated breakers.
Labelling. Every board and circuit is labelled, so faults can be found quickly during the show.

05·Safety and Approvals

Testing, approvals and paperwork.

Which approvals apply depends on the venue, the site and the scope. The list below is a general guide, not legal advice. Confirm the current requirements with the venue, the event organiser and the relevant authority.

Venue or landlord approval. Venues, malls and master communities usually ask for a power plan, method statements, risk assessments and the electrical contractor’s details before work starts, and set the rules for connecting to their boards.
Event permits. Public events in Dubai and the other emirates need event permits from the relevant authorities, and temporary power and generators are often part of what is reviewed.
Civil Defence requirements. Generators, fuel storage, escape routes and fire safety at events are subject to Civil Defence requirements where they apply.
Utility connections. Any temporary connection to a building’s permanent supply goes through the building’s electrical team and, where relevant, the utility, such as DEWA in Dubai.

Before switch-on, every circuit is inspected and tested: earthing, insulation, polarity and RCD operation. On the day, an electrician on standby can deal with faults and changes. Redfox prepares the power plan, method statements and risk assessments, and works with the venue, organiser or main contractor on the submissions.

06·Quote Checklist

What to send for an accurate quote.

Venue or site name and location, indoor or outdoor
Build-up, show and break-down dates and hours
Equipment list or technical rider with the power rating of each item, or the total load if you know it
Whether venue power is available, and its rating, phases and connector type if known
Whether you need a generator, and if so whether it is already arranged
A site plan showing where the stage, screens, sound, lighting, catering and other loads will be
Which systems are show-critical and need backup
Whether you need an electrician on standby during the event
Whether rigging, truss or chain hoists are also needed, so power and rigging are planned together

Attach the rider, site plan or drawings to the quote form below, or send them on WhatsApp. See also the truss and chain hoist rental quote checklist if the event also needs rigging.

07·Why One Team

Power, rigging and installation together.

Power problems at events usually come from the gaps between contractors: a cable route that crosses a rigging zone, a hoist circuit nobody allowed for, or a distribution board in the wrong place. Redfox plans the temporary power, the rigging and the installation as one team, so loads, hanging points and cable routes are planned together.

Redfox is a Dubai technical contracting company founded in 2003. At The Galleria Mall in Abu Dhabi, we installed an illuminated ribbon across the facade, fixed to a live facade, rigged at height and powered with clean cable runs (case study). Inside the same mall, our crew rigged a structure of about 1.5 tons above the central atrium in 2 days (case study). We do the jobs others called not possible.

Common Questions

Quick answers.

How do I size a generator for an event in Dubai?

List every load with its rated power, add up the running load in kW, convert to kVA (at a power factor of 0.8, kVA is roughly kW divided by 0.8), allow for starting currents and non-linear loads such as LED screens, and leave headroom, commonly in the order of 20 to 25 percent. An electrical engineer or competent electrician should confirm the final size.

What is the difference between kW and kVA for generators?

kW is the real power the equipment uses. kVA is the apparent power the generator has to supply. Generators are usually rated in kVA at a power factor of 0.8, so a generator’s kW capacity is roughly 80 percent of its kVA rating.

Can we use the venue power instead of a generator?

Often, yes. Most indoor venues, malls, hotels and exhibition halls provide power from their own boards. Ask the venue what supply is available at each point. Outdoor sites, and events whose load exceeds the venue supply, usually need a generator.

What does temporary power distribution include?

Distribution boards, cabling sized for the load and the run length, weatherproof connections, earthing, electrical protection such as RCDs and breakers, cable protection across walkways, labelling, and testing and commissioning before switch-on.

Do I need approval for a generator at an event in Dubai?

Usually. The venue or landlord sets the rules, and public events need event permits. Generators, fuel storage and fire safety can fall under Civil Defence requirements. Confirm the current requirements with the venue, the organiser and the relevant authority.

Does Redfox supply generators?

Redfox plans and installs the temporary power distribution and connects to the venue supply or to a generator arranged for the project. Tell us what the site has and we set out what is needed.

What should I send for a temporary power quote?

The venue and location, the dates and hours, an equipment list or rider with power ratings, whether venue power is available, whether a generator is needed, a site plan, which systems are show-critical, and whether you need an electrician on standby.

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Send the site, the dates and what you need. We come back to you with a written quote, priced for your project.

Since 2003. A Dubai contractor with more than two decades of rigging, lighting and installation work.
UAE and KSA. Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and every emirate, with projects in Riyadh, Jeddah and Doha.
HSE controls on every job. Risk assessments, lifting plans, working-at-height controls and electrical testing.

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