Country Israel Status Peak Type Open cycle gas turbine Address Ashdod, Israel | Location Ashdod Primary fuel Natural gas Combined cycle? partial | |
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Owner Israel Electric Corporation Similar Rutenberg Power Station, Reading Power Station, Dorad Power Station, Mishor Rotem Power St, Ashalim Power Station | ||
The Eshkol Power Station is a power station supplying electrical power to the Shephelah region in Israel. It is located in north industrial zone of Ashdod near the mouth of the Lakhish River, close to the port of Ashdod which provided the plant with fuel oil prior to its conversion to use natural gas. The power station is also close to the sea since its cooling system uses sea water.
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Like other significant power stations in Israel, Eshkol Power Station belongs to Israel Electric Corporation. It is the third biggest power plant in Israel in terms of production ability, providing 7.3 percent of electricity production by IEC.
The power station was named after Levi Eshkol, former Prime Minister of Israel.
History
In 1953, following an Israeli Government decision, surveyors and designers arrived at the desolate dunes to choose a site to build a new power station in the south of the country. Its builders lived in the regional settlements Rehovot and Gedera.
The building of the Eshkol power station was completed in 1958 and included 3 units: 2 units of 50 MW, and one unit of 45 MW.
Electricity generating
Originally steam only, today Eshkol is multi unit power station. Eshkol was the first (2004) power station in Israel to produce electricity from natural gas.
There is also sea water desalination plant based on steam turbine.
One of the small private electricity producers is also located in Ashdod. It is operated under IEC supervision.