TEL AVIV: The Reading power plant in Tel Aviv will no longer use natural gas to produce electricity. Israel’s Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure said the plant will now be used by the energy sector for green and innovative needs: among other things, storage and connection of a marine power transmission cable.

The ministry said that this decision is expected to bring many benefits to the electricity sector, the general public and the quality of the environment.

The decision will save electricity consumers hundreds of millions of shekels following the cancellation of the establishment of temporary production units at the reading site, which were planned and are no longer needed. The investment savings, said the ministry, will translate into savings in the electricity tariff for all electricity consumers in Israel.

Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Eli Cohen: “This is important news for the residents of Gush Dan (the Tel Aviv area), the citizens of Israel and the environment. We are making electricity production in Israel more efficient and cleaner and returning the coast to the residents.”