Al Shawwa: New Developments In Fields Of Energy And Natural Resources

2005-05-25

www.ipc.gov.ps/ipc_new/ english/details.asp? name=4908

GAZA, Palestine, May 25, 2005 (IPC) -[Official PA website] - The Head of the Palestinian Energy and Natural (PENRA) Resources Authority, Azzam Al Shawwa, said that the sectors of energy and natural resources have been undergoing serious changes in the interest of the Palestinian people.

Al Shawwa, who was speaking in a press conference held at IPC headquarters in Gaza, told reporters that the Palestinian Authority reached a deal with the Israeli side to keep the electricity grids in the illegal settlements intact, following the purported Israeli withdrawal.

He pointed out that these grids would be later appropriated to the needs of the Palestinian population centers, and that mechanisms of understanding were reached with regards to the Palestinian electricity grid's connection with the Israeli network.

The head of PENRA asserted that the improvements in the electricity feed of the southern Gaza Strip cities of Khan Younis and Rafah, who are suffering from electricity shortages, was being hindered by the Israeli forces and settlers, especially near the illegal settlement 'Kfar Darom', as they continue to prevent the Authority's technical teams from installing a new power line in the area to connect both cities.

"We need only two weeks to pump in 25 Megawatts of electricity to Khan Younis and Rafah, but Israelis have been preventing this work for over a month now," Al Shawwa said.

He also announced that Gaza Electricity Company, which is the executive arm of PENRA, is currently studying a project to install prepaid electricity meters, which would revolutionize the collection of electricity fees, as well as solve the problems of collectors in reaching remote or dangerous areas, such as the villages trapped behind the Israeli Apartheid Wall in the West Bank.

"There's almost NIS 700 million [about $160.5 million] of uncollected electricity fees in civilians' pockets. Those unable to pay now will be urged to pay after the wheel of economic development is turned, while those able but don't want to will have their electricity cut . we are approaching donor countries to fund the prepaid meter project, as well as forming professional crews to study the feasibility of the project and its requirements."

With regards to the natural gas fields discovered off the shores of Gaza Strip, Azzam Al Shawwa mentioned that there are two gas fields discovered in Gaza, "the largest is 35 kilometers off the coast of Gaza, while the other is shared with the Israeli side near the northern Gaza coast."

"We have made a contract with the British Gas company to carry out exploration and mining operations in the shared field, and obtained preliminary approval from the Israeli authorities to bring in a natural gas rig from Australia to start operations next September," Al Shawwa declared.

The agreement with British Gas, said Al Shawwa, would also include constructing pipes and a power station to pump the mined gas from the sea field to Gaza Strip, and then to the electricity generating plant. He said depending on the mined gas to power the electricity generating plant would save 55 percent of the costs of fuel currently being used to power the plant.

However, he warned that the Palestinian negotiating team should not underestimate the definition of Gaza Strip's borders during the coordination of the Israeli withdrawal, referring to the northern gas field, and noted that any centimeter conceded by the Palestinians would mean a grave loss in the Palestinian share in the natural gas of that field.

Concluding the conference, Al Shawwa expressed optimism with regards to the gas mining contract with the British company, and hoped that the excess gas would be marketed and sold for the benefit of the Palestinian economy and the financial status of the Palestinian Authority and its institutions.

Source: IMRA – Independent Media Review and Analysis