IEC begins preparing for summer power shortages

The Israel Electric Corporation began a week-long, comprehensive exercise on Monday morning to assess the country’s preparedness for the high electricity demands and power shortages expected during the coming summer.

“We have been preparing for many months for the summer in a wide range of fields in order to maximize the company’s production capacity, and, conversely, to help reduce electricity demands at peak hours,” said Eli Glickman, CEO of the IEC. “The IEC is fighting for every megawatt.”

The exercises – which aim to simulate a situation of electricity shortages – will be occurring under the leadership of Glickman, as well as IEC chairman Maj.-Gen. (res.) Yiftach Ron Tal and Energy and Water Ministry director-general Shaul Zemach.

Among the various bodies participating in the simulations will be the Environmental Protection Ministry, the Public Utility Authority, Israel Natural Gas Lines company, the National Emergency Management Authority and representatives from the Israel Police.

The exercises will also examine the IEC’s ability to transfer updated information to its customers, according to the company.

The shortages, which will be largely due to dwindling natural gas supplies, have presented the electricity market with one of its most challenging moments in history, according to Ron-Tal.

“The board of directors is backing the IEC management in all necessary steps toward adopting operational and budgetary measures that are required for the company to cope with the high demand for electricity in this coming summer, during which we are concerned that the company will face difficulties to fulfill [these demands],” Ron-Tal said. “I therefore have turned to the government to request a declaration of a state of emergency in the electricity sector.”

Calling the looming electricity shortage an “impossible situation,” Glickman stressed that all of the relevant government bodies must come together in coordination, in an effort to overcome the projected gaps.