Israel's natural gas supply temporarily suspended
Malfunction in Yam Tatis reservoir which left Israel without natural gas supply on Saturay fixed after four hours
Israel's natural gas supply was suspended for several hours on Saturday due to a malfunction in the Yam Tatis reservoir, currently the sole gas supplier for Israeli power plants.
Nobel Energy, which owns the gas site together with the Delek Group, said that the malfunction was fixed after four hours allowing the Electric Corp. to resume the use of gas.
The Knesset's Economics Committee said that a debate will be held on the matter this week.
Noble Energy, Delek and Isramco performed maintenance work at the reservoir Saturday as part of a plan to increase supply to Israel's Electric Corp. and other power plants after Egypt's EMG company postponed the resumption of gas supply.
Following the malfunction, the National Infrastructure Ministry ordered the Electric Corp. to increase production at the coal fired power stations and instructed power plants to use diesel and fuel oil instead of gas.
Egypt suspended its gas supply to Israel during February's political riots, after an explosion occurred at the gas pipe to Jordan.
The resumption of gas supply has thus far been postponed five times. The reason for this is unclear.
Yam Tatis has been serving as Israel's only gas source since, and may become depleted by 2012 should Egypt fail to resume its supply of gas.
Energetic indeendence
National Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau, who is currenty in the United States, addressed the matter Saturday and called for the development of the electricity economy. Israel must achieve energetic independence, he said.
"The State of Israel cannot make do with only one pipe. Current reality supports our demand to re-approve the northern overland gas device in the safest place.
"I call on the prime minister to hold an immediate debate to approve the establishment of a dual-fuel power plant in Ashkelon. I demand that the prime minister take responsibility for the matter and see to it that the Finance Ministry lift all obstacles in the development of the 'Tamar' project.
"Favoring long-term financial benefits over immediate energy needs has caused the economy to pay huge sums in environmental and economic terms."
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