Dubai(AP): A possible drone attack may have sparked an explosion that struck three oil tankers in Abu Dhabi and another fire at an extension of Abu Dhabi International Airport on Monday that killed three people and wounded six, police said.

Abu Dhabi police identified the dead as two Indian nationals and one Pakistani. It did not identify the wounded, who police said suffered minor or moderate wounds.

Police said an investigation was underway.

While Abu Dhabi police did not immediately offer any suspects for the possible assault, Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for an attack targeting the United Arab Emirates, without elaborating. The Iranian-backed Houthis have claimed several attacks that Emirati officials later denied took place.

The incident comes while Yemen's yearslong war rages on and as an Emirati-flagged vessel found itself recently captured by the Houthis. That's as Abu Dhabi largely has withdrawn its national forces from the conflict tearing apart the Arab world's poorest nation while still supporting local militias there.

Abu Dhabi police said preliminary investigations indicated the detection of small flying objects, possibly belonging to drones, that fell in the two areas and may have caused the explosion and fire. They said there was no significant damage from the incidents, without offering further details.

 

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Gandhinagar (PTI): Gujarat has initiated battery storage systems at five locations in the state, with a total capacity of 870 MW, to maintain the stability of the renewable power grid, officials said on Saturday.

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are essential for storing electricity generated from solar and other renewable sources. They help manage additional load and maintain grid stability.

“Gujarat has initiated battery storage systems at five locations with a total capacity of 870 MW,” an official release stated.

The state has also registered 13 projects across Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Banaskantha, Patan and Kutch districts to set up additional battery storage systems, it said.

Modhera in Gujarat, India’s first solar village, has launched the country’s first BESS integrated with a solar power plant, it said.

"Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the state has continued to advance in this direction and has strengthened its position among the leading states driving battery storage systems in India,” the release said.

Recently, a battery storage system was commissioned at Charal in the Sanand taluka of Ahmedabad, it said.

Four systems are operational at Modhera in Mehsana and Lakhpat in Kutch. The state government has also included advanced energy storage systems as a key component in the Gujarat Integrated Renewable Energy Policy, 2025, the release said.

Accordingly, standalone battery storage projects, works linked with new renewable energy installations, and those integrated with existing renewable energy systems are being approved, it said.

Once the Standard Operating Procedure is approved, registrations for battery storage will open for commercial and industrial users, it said, adding that the move will allow them to set up battery storage alongside their solar or wind projects.

The state government is developing battery storage systems across Gujarat, with companies being invited in through a competitive bidding process.

GETCO (Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation) and power distribution companies strategically identify locations for battery storage systems based on grid capacity and operational requirements, the release said.

Power generation from solar and other renewable sources fluctuates throughout the day. Excess energy generated during peak hours can be stored and supplied later during periods of high demand, especially in the evening when solar output declines. Battery storage systems help reduce stress on the grid and improve grid stability, it added.