Due to the scorching heat: fires throughout the country, roads blocked and buildings evacuated (documentation of fire and rescue operations, Jerusalem District Fire and Rescue Service)
The Director General of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructures, Kobi Blitstein, rushed to hold an assessment of the situation in the energy sector on Wednesday ahead of the weather and the wave of heat expected this weekend. The Israel Meteorological Service warns of heavy heat stress throughout the country and even extreme heat in the Jordan Valley and the Arava. The assessment comes mainly after last weekend's fiasco – many homes in Israel experienced prolonged power cuts due to congestion.
The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure has not yet published the conclusions of its investigation into power cuts over the weekend, but said that in terms of the data, the expected heat level will be less extreme than it was at the end of last week, and that the relevant authorities have made the relevant preparations to deal with the weather.
An entire quarter in Ashdod during a power outage due to congestion, June 2, 2023 (Photo: Avi Rokach)
At the discussion, members of Noga, the government company that manages the electricity supply vis-à-vis demand, presented the planned operating plan for the economy, the expected reserves, and their preparations in order to avoid malfunctions in the electricity supply, as they were last week. The Ministry of Natural Gas Authority presented that this week as well, no shortage of natural gas is expected for the electricity sector, and noted that maintenance work planned on the Leviathan rig is not expected to affect the electricity sector.
According to the IEC, under the guidance of Noga, all available production units are operating and ready to respond as needed. The IEC added that they are prepared for the heavy heat and have deployed reinforced forces at service centers, washing power lines, reinforcing response teams, promoting generators, lifting platforms and any equipment necessary to repair damage that may occur, mainly for fear of fires.
The IEC also emphasized that it produces only about half of the total electricity production in the economy, and the rest is produced by private producers – most of them from natural gas and a minority from renewable energies.
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