Israel Approves New Power Plant Near Ashdod Despite Environmental Concerns

The Israeli government has approved the advancement of plans for a new power plant at the Oil Refineries Ltd. (ORL) complex in Ashdod. The facility is intended to supply electricity to the national grid, replacing a smaller unit currently used solely by the refinery. This decision comes despite strong opposition from the Ministry of Environmental Protection, which fears increased pollution in an area already burdened with several power generation facilities and industrial plants. The Ministry argues that the northern Ashdod region already suffers from high pollution levels due to the refinery, the large Eshkol power station, and Ashdod Port, warning that existing emission permits might face judicial review. They also question the necessity of additional fossil fuel power plants, citing a government plan to build 13 new power stations in the central region. Local authorities, including the Ashdod-Hovel Yavne Union of Cities for Environmental Quality, also oppose the move, highlighting that the Ashdod area already generates 14% of Israel's electricity despite housing only 4% of its population, and that residents bear the health and environmental costs. This comes just four months after the government approved a national plan to reduce air and odor pollution in the Ashdod area. The Ministry of Energy stated that this is an initial planning stage to ensure the country's energy needs, and all environmental and planning aspects will be examined. The ORL refinery itself has experienced recent operational issues and management changes. The proposed 800-megawatt plant would significantly increase the refinery's power generation capacity, which currently stands at 109 megawatts for its own use.