Tag Archive for electricity

Israel Electric Company Wants to ‘Cut Off PA Tomorrow’

IEC chief Yiftah Ron-Tal discusses the energy ‘revolution’ of Israel’s Tamar natural gas fields and the damage the ‘Arab Spring’ caused to Israel’s electricity.

By Yoni Kempinski, Ari Yashar

 

Maj.-Gen. (res.) Yiftah Ron-Tal, Director of the Israel Electric Company (IEC), spoke Thursday at the Ramle Conference on financial policy, where he addressed the Palestinian Authority (PA) electricity debts of 1.4 billion shekels (nearly half a billion dollars).

“If it were up to me, I would cut off their electricity tomorrow,” commented Ron-Tal. “Any private company would have cut off their electricity a long time ago. We’re demanding the PA to pay every last penny.” Continue Reading »

Palestinian Authority negotiating deal to pay Israel its electricity bill

Negotiations with the Palestinians over its ballooning debt to the Israel Electric Corp are making process, even as peace negotiations unravel.

By Avi Bar-Eli

 

 

Even as United States-sponsored peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians unravel, quiet negotiations over 1.4 billion shekels ($402 million) in unpaid electricity bills owed by the Palestinians are making progress.

A camel

The Israel Electric Corporation provides the Palestinians about 7% of its total production via high-voltage electricity lines. – Photo: Reuters

The debt, which has been run up by the Palestinian Authority’s refusal to pay the Israel Electric Corporation for power supplied in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, has almost doubled in the past year.

Continue Reading »

Gaza’s power plant on line now that rockets not fired at Israel

 

After shutting down Gaza’s electricity plant to 1.8 million people due to fuel shortage caused by closed border when attack on Israel began, the Strip’s power station is back to full operation with Qatari-paid fuel.

By Reuters

 

The Gaza Strip’s sole power plant started up again on Monday after Israel allowed quantities of Qatari-paid fuel into the enclave to ease a power crisis, Palestinian officials said.

Electricity on the way to the Palestinians

Electricity on the way to the Palestinians – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

Gaza lacks much basic infrastructure and lives under an Egyptian-Israeli blockade meant to cut off arms flows but which also curbs imports of fuel and building supplies. Continue Reading »

IEC Warns Palestinians: Pay Your Electric Bill or be Switched Off Grid

Sunday, the Israel Electric Company issued the Palestinian Authority a final warning to pay their debt of over one billion shekels, or the grid supplying them electricity will be turned off.

By David Lev

 

The Israel Electric Company on Sunday issued a final warning to the Palestinian Authority (PA) – pay up or get cut off. The IEC gave the PA three days to come up with NIS 1.4 billion (nearly half a billion dollars) the Authority owes it. If it does not get the money, the company will cut power to the PA.

Electricity on the way to the Palestinians – IsraelandStuff/PP

The PA is in this jam because it has habitually failed to pay its electric bill, despite the fact that it received money specifically for this purpose from various international donors. Continue Reading »

Again Palestinian Authority owes Israel Electric Co money, this time $389 million

 

Knesset Finance Committee is told that PA’s debt is increasing by $20-$22 million a month, and if unpaid, Israel Electric Co. might have to raise prices for Israeli customers.

By Zeev Klein

 

 

Continue Reading »

Again, Gaza is Without Fuel, Hamas Blames Israel for Power Blackouts

Gaza’s lone power plant closes down just 12 days after having being restarted with Qatar bought fuel via the Palestinian Authority.

Israel blamed, although it was Egypt’s siege that has cut off Hamas’ lucrative fuel smuggling.

By Ari Yashar

 

Gaza’s only power plant ground to a halt again on Friday, only 12 days after being brought back online following a 7 week shutdown due to fuel shortages. The shutdown was announced by Gaza’s electricity firm, reports AFP.

An official of the company claimed “the plant stopped working on Friday morning due to a lack of fuel caused by Israel’s closure of the Kerem Shalom crossing.” Continue Reading »

Palestinian to pay Israel $315M in owed electric bills

 

Palestinian Authority debt owed for electricity supplied to West Bank & E. Jerusalem reaches NIS 1.1B.

PA begins to cover funds, but Israel’s Ministers of Finance and Energy concerned sum will rise.

Israel Electric Corporation to end year with heavy debt.

By Lior Gutman

The Palestinian Authority has begun to pay back the money it owes the Israel Electric Corporation (IEC), Calcalist has learned. The debt, accumulated by West Bank and east Jerusalem residents stands at NIS 1.1 billion, the Electric Corporation claims.

Electricity on the way to the Palestinians

Electricity for the Palestinian Authority – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

According to Calcalist, the Ministries of Finance and Energy have expressed concern that the debt will continue to rise, reaching NIS 1.3 billion by the end of the year, thus posing a heavy financial burden for the Electric Corporation. Continue Reading »

Electricity theft by Palestinians the theme of this year’s Ramadan morality campaign

Palestinian theft of electricity increases debt to Israel by $70 million each year. Palestinian Authority fear Israel will pull plug, sinking them into darkness

The Media Line

RAMALLAH – During the pre-dawn hours in the holy month of Ramadan, while many are preparing a pre-dawn breakfast in preparation of the daylong-fast, others are tapping into the electricity grid. It’s an act that costs the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority (PA) millions of dollars annually.

Electricity on the way to the Palestinians

Electricity on the way to the Palestinians – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

Again this year, authorities will treat electricity theft like other personal bad habits rather than as a crime, working to prevent it through an advertising campaign that stresses morality during Ramadan, encouraging citizens to end the costly practice voluntarily. Continue Reading »

Israel Electric Corp to offer ‘kosher electricity’ by 2014

 

 

IEC to invest some NIS 500,000 in

bid to solve problem allowing thousands of haredi families in Bnei Brak to connect to power supply without desecrating the Shabbat

By Alfi Shauly

The “kashrut” concept is usually reserved for food, but in some ultra-Orthodox communities it has to do with other vital issues like connection to a power supply.

Electricity on the way to the Palestinians

illustrative – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

 The haredi population in the central Israeli city of Bnei Brak has been torn for years over the kashrut of electricity production. Entire communities are forced to pay NIS 120 (about $33) every weekend in order to connect to a generator, as they believe that the Israel Electric Corp‘s power generation desecrates Shabbat. Continue Reading »

Israel Electric Corporation Recommends: Cut Off Power to PA

Israel’s Electric company has put together a list of sanctions for the gov’t to impose on the PA, which owes it 820 million shekels.

By Elad Benari

 

The Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) has put together a list of sanctions that it could impose on the Palestinian Authority (PA) if it does not pay its debt to the IEC, which currently stands at 820 million shekels.

Electricity on the way to the Palestinians

Electricity on the way to the Palestinians – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

The PA acquires 95% of its electricity in Judea and Samaria and 75% of its electricity in Gaza from Israel.

According to a document published on Channel 10 News on Thursday, the IEC is suggesting four possible measures against the PA in order to get it to pay the money it owes. Continue Reading »

Israel’s electric car drove to a Better Place, but the road ahead still needs traveling

 

Better Place’s demise was a road with wrong turns, but the dream is still valid.

With 350 electric cars the road, & several battery charge stations still operating, the road is paved for the next electric car entrepeneur.

By Ilan Gattegno

On Wednesday, an appointed receiver arrived at the Rosh Haayin offices of electric car company Better Place, which declared bankruptcy this week, and found calm employees. She received an in-depth explanation about the installation, control systems, ongoing maintenance and clients, who are waiting to learn what will become of the electric vehicles they purchased.

Continue Reading »

Israel Electric Company plans to fire 2,000 employees

IEC chairman also reports the benefit of free electricity for employees will be cut as a part of a future reform.

 

The Israel Electric Corporation’s chairman promised on Wednesday to slash the benefit of free electricity for its employees, as well as lay off 2,000 of its permanent workers in a future comprehensive reform of the company.

electricity line old – Photo: Marc Israel Sellem

Stressing the importance of entirely overhauling the IEC – which has a debt of over NIS 70 billion – as soon as possible, chairman Yiftah Ron-Tal discussed the provisions of a prospective reform at a Knesset Economic Affairs committee meeting, headed by MK Carmel Shama-Hacohen.

Continue Reading »

Israel to the PA: Pay your Debts!

Israel is doing what it said it would do: Money from Palestinian Authority taxes will be used to pay year long PA debt for electricity it used.

By Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu

 

Israel has decided to pay off Palestinian Authority debts for electricity by using tax money the government collects for it.

Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz ordered that 435 million shekels – more than $110,000,000 – not only will be withheld from the Palestinian Authority, but also will be transferred to the Israel Electric Corp, to cover part of an outstanding debt of  $190,700,000 incurred by the PA during the past year. Continue Reading »

Want to be a State? Pay your electricity bills!

Israel’s Finance Ministry deducts withheld tax funds from part of the NIS 731 million the Palestinian Authority owe the Israel Electric Corp

By Lior Gutman, Calcalist

 

The Finance Ministry transferred NIS 273.5 million (about $71.35 million) to the Israel Electric Corporation in recent days to cover 37% of the Palestinian Authority’s electricity debt, which has reached NIS 731 million ($190.7 million) over the past year.

Israel Electric Corp. Complaining about PA’s growing debt as Electricity is on the way to the Palestinian Authority – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

The source of the funds transferred to the Electric Corp is the deduction of tax revenues collected by Israel on behalf the PA and transferred to the cash-strapped authority on a monthly basis. Continue Reading »

Exclusive Arutz-7 Photos: This is How IEC Workers Power Up Gaza Terrorists & Stays Safe

Photographs show Israel Electric Company electrician protected behind a huge metal wall hoisted by a crane as he repairs Gaza power cable.

By Gil Ronen

 

The photographs below were taken by an anonymous Arutz Sheva reader who witnessed a strange scene on the Gaza perimeter recently. They show an Israel Electric Company (IEC) employee hoisted on a crane in order to fix a malfunction that denied electricity to Gaza City.

The operation, which of course is carried out by Israel for the benefit of Gazans, has to be carried out with military protection, because Gaza terrorists regularly target Israelis on the perimeter fence, including those they know are trying to assist them by fixing infrastructure or letting in goods. Continue Reading »