Israel’s electric power capacity was increased by 20 per cent last night when a new power station at Ashdod, site of a newly developing industrial-port complex on the Mediterranean coast, was opened. The United States, through its economic operations mission here, financed over one-third of the 70,000,000 pound ($38, 500, 000) cost of the installation.
The station is the first of three 50, 000 kilowatt turbines to go into operation under the nation’s electric power development program. A second will be working by the end of the year and a third will be producing power early in 1959.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Minister for Development Mordecai Bentov said that, in addition, his Ministry had planned the erection of power stations in Northern Israel and at Eilat. It was also planned to bring a high tension line into the Negev, he said. Finally, he revealed that three power stations would be erected to be fueled by bituminous rock.
James Haggerty, head of the U.S. economic aid mission in Israel, told the audience that Israel’s need for electric power was second only to its needs for water and irrigation. He revealed that before this investment of 25, 000, 000 pounds, ($13, 750, 000) the U. S. had matched funds with Israel for other electric power projects to the extent of 40, 000, 000 pounds.
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