Gaza to be connected to Egyptian
power grid in 19 months
Feb 11, 2008 - Xinhua
The Gaza Strip will be completely connected
to the Egyptian electricity network in 19 months,
a Palestinian official announced on Monday.
Omar Katana, chief of the Palestinian
Energy Authority, said that the Gaza Strip would be
connected to the Egyptian electricity network via
a power plant in the coastal city of al-Arish located
in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.
"We are waiting to accomplish some
outstanding technical issues and then we will publish
tenders in the Arab and international newspapers to
carry out this project," Katana said, estimating that
the project will take 19 months.
The Islamic International Bank has granted
32 million U.S. dollars as part of the project's expenditure
and has signed the agreement with the Egyptian side,
said Katana.
According to Katana, Egypt currently
provides 17-20 megawatts of electricity to southern
Gaza Strip, far short of the 220 megawatts of power
demand of the coastal enclave.
Israel sells about 120 megawatts of
power to the Gaza Strip via cross-border power feeders.
Israeli restrictions on fuel deliveries to Gaza has
made the sole power station in Gaza running at less
than half capacity, producing some 40 megawatts out
of 80.
Israel has tightened economic sanctions
against Gaza and regularly raids the territory in
an effort to stop rocket attacks launched by Gaza
militants on southern Israel.
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