New Program Announced to Develop Electricity Infrastructure in Yehudah and Shomron

For the first time, the Israel Electric Company (IEC) has developed an organized, long-term power plan for Yehudah and Shomron. The plan, which has been in the works for a year, includes provision for a modernization of the electrical infrastructure throughout the region, in both Jewish and Arab towns.

Until now, such organized planning did not exist; towns connected themselves to existing infrastructure, and the IEC would expand and extend lines as needed. The new plan provides for electricity planning through 2040, taking into account population growth and the need for power for factories, businesses, etc.

Four new electrical substations will be built by 2025 – two for Jewish towns and two for Arab towns. By the time the plan is completed, over 300 kilometers of new electrical wiring will be laid. Costs are expected to be in excess of NIS 4 billion.

Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz said that “when I started this job I realized that the energy and water infrastructure in Yehudah and Shomron were not sufficient, and that all residents, Jewish and Arab, were suffering from water and power shortages and outages. Just as we have done in planning for water needs for the coming years, we are doing the same with energy, in order to provide for the growing needs of residents.”