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Last update - 00:00 28/02/2008
Egypt plans to provide all of Gaza's electricity
By The Associated Press
Tags: electricity, Gaza Strip 

Egypt is working on a plan with the Palestinians to supply all the besieged Gaza Strip's electricity needs and wean it off its reliance on Israel for power, an Egyptian energy official said Thursday.

Earlier this month, Israel began reducing its supply of electricity to the Hamas-ruled coastal strip after the High Court of Justice ruled that doing so would not cause a humanitarian crisis. Israel's plan includes gradually reducing the electricity supply by small increments, in efforts to pressure the Hamas government to prevent Qassam rocket fire from the Strip into southern Israel. So far, Israel has supplied most of the electricity utilized in Gaza.

Under the plan, Egypt - which already supplies a small part of Gaza's electricity - would increase the number of power lines linking it to Gaza and provide Palestinians with some 250 megawatts, said Izzat Ibrahim, a senior official of Sinai's National Electricity Power Company.
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"This capacity is considered as an alternative power for that Israel used to supply," Ibrahim said.

He said Egypt's Electricity Ministry is preparing a study with President Mahmoud Abbas' Palestinian Authority on financing the project and providing equipment to Gaza. The project would take at least six months to implement, he said, though he could not say when it would start.

An official at the ministry confirmed that Egypt was exploring means of providing all of Gaza's electricity needs. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the press, would not give a timeframe for the project.

Ten of the 17 power lines supplying Gaza currently come from Israel, five from a local power plant and two from Egypt. Gaza's consumption increases by about 10 percent a year, and the strip currently needs about 240 megawatts.

The chief of Abbas' Palestinian Energy Authority said Tuesday that the Palestinian Authority hoped to connect more areas of the Gaza Strip to the Egyptian grid. The official, Omar Qattaneh, said the authority has secured financing from the Islamic Development Bank in Saudi Arabia for the $32 million (22 million euro) project. He said bids would be published in the coming days, and the project could be completed in 12 to 18 months.

The proposal would bolster Abbas' claim to represent Gaza. Abbas now rules from the West Bank and wields little control over the Hamas-held Gaza.

Hamas spokesman Taher Nunu also praised the plan, despite the lingering tensions with Abbas' government. "We welcome any project that links us to our Arab brothers and ends our relations with the occupation," he said, referring to Israel. Hamas officials had also raised the idea of boosting power supplies to Gaza with Egypt, he said.

On Wednesday, Jordan began supplying electricity to the town of Jericho in the West Bank for the first time since Israel seized control of the territory during the 1967 Six-Day War. Israel has provided power to the West Bank since then.

Related articles:
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  • Britain criticizes Gaza power cuts
  • Court okays reducing fuel, power supply to Gaza
  • PA: West Bank town of Jericho linked to Jordanian electricity grid
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      1.   Oh dear, Israel`s grip on events weakens again 19:44  |  Clickfool 28/02/08
      2.   Good! Egypt should provide Gaza with all its needs, not only ... 19:47  |  Avihu 28/02/08
      3.   About time 19:47  |  Adrian de Klerk 28/02/08
      4.   Egypt the occupier 19:51  |  Israeli citizen 28/02/08
      5.   Electricity to Gaza 19:59  |  P. J. Casey 28/02/08
      6.   One great step from behind the... scene....!! 20:02  |  Stephen. 28/02/08
      7.   Hallajuah 20:02  |  Avi 28/02/08
      8.   The sooner the better 20:07  |  Tamir 28/02/08
      9.   To#2 Keep dreaming 20:13  |  pal 28/02/08
      10.   Good! Now how about water, fuel, foo and medicine? 20:17  |  Yonatan 28/02/08
      11.   Egypt: Please go the distance & take over all of Gaza. 20:17  |  solution to Gaza 28/02/08
      12.   For Avihu # 2 20:21  |  Clickfool 28/02/08
      13.   egypt plans to provide all of gaza ,s elecctricity needs 20:21  |  spiner 28/02/08
      14.   The Terrible Twos 20:25  |  Phillipe T. Lucre 28/02/08
      15.   Palestinians 20:27  |  Brock 28/02/08
      16.   Perfect! Israel now free to bomb Hamas transformers as needed 20:32  |  Dr. L. Brnd 28/02/08
      17.   About time 20:33  |  Sima Sderot 28/02/08
      18.   One step towards peace 20:35  |  Bo 28/02/08
      19.   Good, Gaza is part of Egypt, cancel Palestine 20:39  |  David 28/02/08
      20.   Solar Power is the answer 20:41  |  B`Galil 28/02/08
      21.   Israel`s power cuts worked 20:43  |  Paul 28/02/08
      22.   For Yonatan # 9 20:43  |  Clickfool 28/02/08
      23.   I read your mind! Clickfool 20:46  |  Paul 28/02/08
      24.   Israel losing it`s grip 20:48  |  Mark Lincoln 28/02/08
      25.   Good - Unilateral Disengagement 21:02  |  Josh 28/02/08
      26.   Understanding the Grid - Act of War against Egypt 21:22  |  Pablo B 28/02/08
      27.   Very Good Solution 21:24  |  Jane 28/02/08
      28.   #1 Clickfool- That`s right! 21:44  |  Jon 28/02/08
      29.   Keep going Egypt 21:46  |  Adrian de Klerk 28/02/08
      30.   Finally 21:57  |  B 28/02/08
      31.   # 1 Clicky...this isn`t new 22:13  |  Lynn 28/02/08
      32.   Egypt and the ?Palestinians?. 22:31  |  Jean Van Daem 28/02/08
      33.   Agree with #2 22:54  |  GS 28/02/08
      34.   mere distraction. forget electricity, use bombs. 22:59  |  anup 28/02/08
      35.   Clicky misses the point, again 23:07  |  john 28/02/08
      36.   If this is what the blockade of Gaza 23:15  |  Ram 28/02/08
      37.   Clickfool - fast on the draw again! 23:30  |  Mike 28/02/08
      38.   good move by egypt 23:32  |  raw truth 28/02/08
      39.   Positive development 23:43  |  Dror 28/02/08
      40.   pal # 8 you and your people haven`t paid for anything in over 60 23:46  |  terrornator 28/02/08
      41.   Israel will be out of pocket. 23:58  |  Maureen Ann 28/02/08
      42.   who is paying for this scheme? bold words 00:07  |  v hardman 29/02/08
      43.   Egypt wins,israeli companies lose! 00:12  |  lakshmi 29/02/08
      44.   # 9 yonatan 00:38  |  Axel 29/02/08
      45.   # 21 dream on 00:43  |  Axel 29/02/08
      46.   Egypt will now "occupy" Gaza 00:57  |  Richard S 29/02/08
      47.   Egypt Plans to Provide Jobs and Market? 01:11  |  Rightster 29/02/08
      48.   Good news and bad news 01:16  |  Antony 29/02/08
      49.   Good news and bad news 01:16  |  Antony 29/02/08
      50.   @18John interesting point 01:41  |  Mark B. 29/02/08
      51.   Take the sick people, also! 02:11  |  Dr. Jack 29/02/08
      52.   clickfool #1 02:35  |  yossi 29/02/08
      53.   hamasstan power and light 03:21  |  andy12 29/02/08
      54.   Great 03:52  |  massein 29/02/08
      55.   Good luck, indeed 04:07  |  Tom 29/02/08
      56.   Take all of Gaza, Egypt, We`ll throw in a few extra camels 04:14  |  Free Gilad Shalit 29/02/08
      57.   #18 John 04:43  |  Chas. 29/02/08
      58.   power to the people RIGHT ??? 05:59  |  M. S. 29/02/08
      59.   Ha Ha Clickfool is clueless, all us Zionists agree with you.... 06:25  |  KJJ 29/02/08
      60.   #23 Lynn 11:05  |  Said 29/02/08
      61.   MUBARAK IS ONLY CARE ABOUT HIS OWN GRIP ON POWER 11:10  |  indrajaya 29/02/08
      62.   More Power To 9and from) Egypt 14:41  |  dyinglikeflies 29/02/08
      63.   Islams crumbling weight upon itself 14:56  |  petra 29/02/08
      64.   For bright spark Yossi # 24 21:03  |  Clickfool 29/02/08
      65.   WHEN ???? 21:33  |  TOBIA 29/02/08
      66.   Egyptian supplies for Hamastan 05:13  |  Alan 01/03/08
      67.   Lakshmi#43 - Israeli companies, and I, welcome the news 07:47  |  William 01/03/08
      68.   Maureen Ann#41 - Israeli policies, or Arab intrasigence? 07:55  |  William 01/03/08
      69.   example of good media work of palestinians 14:06  |  yael 02/03/08
      70.   Let Gaza know it`s Jewish food and medicine 21:23  |  Hendreck 02/03/08
      71.   If only electricity and humanitarian needs were the end of it 20:39  |  Dinah 04/04/08
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