Government refusal: The IEC's request for a 8.5-month postponement in disabling the third unit at the Rotenberg Power Station

The Ministry of the Environment refused the IEC's request for a 8.5-month postponement in disabling the third unit at the Rotenberg Power Station in Ashkelon. Given the risk of continuing to supply electricity, the firm allowed the company a two-and-a-half-month extension to examine its application for an emission permit.
This rejection was granted after the Ministry of the Environment received an opinion from the Ministry of Energy, which states that the "disabling of Unit 3" in Rotenberg will cause the production reserve to fall below the permitted design threshold, in a way that jeopardizes the reliability of the electricity supply. This unit already has scavengers and additional emission reduction measures installed.
Due to the additional emissions caused by the rejection, the electricity company will have to disable another coal unit for another period, which is currently operating without sulcans. At this time, the IEC is required to apply for an emission permit change in accordance with the provisions of the Clean Air Act. The draft permit amendment will be published for public comment.
"Unit 3" has sulfur oxide emission reduction facilities (sulcans, FGDs) and other nitrogen oxide emission reduction facilities.