Dalia Power Energies Ltd. has moved forward another stage in building its power station in Tzafit. Last Thursday, the company signed an operating and maintenance agreement with French company Alstom S.A., which won the tender for building, supplying, operating and maintaining the $1 billion station. The power station, located in Tzafit, west of Beit Shemesh, will be Israel's largest private power station, with a total capacity of 835 megawatts.
The station will include two of Alstom's 417 megawatt combined cycle units. Alstom will also supply the sub-station that will connect the station with the electric grid. Dalia Power Energies is owned by Energy Economy Ltd. (43.3%), Hiram Epsilon Ltd. (43.3%), Sigma Epsilon Ltd. (3.3%), and the Israel Infrastructure Fund (10%). Arik Raichman is the company's chairman (and former CEO of Tnuva Tnuva Food Industries Ltd.).
The construction agreement stipulates that the station be built within three years. According to the contract's conditions, Alstom will operate and maintain the power station for twenty years. Dalia CEO Eitan Meir said, "The agreement signed with Alstom assures that the private power station will be operated in the most advanced and efficient manner possible. The station will constitute a significant addition to Israel's electric production capacity, as well as being a significant step in advancing reforms in the energy market, and in opening up the market to competition." Alstom Israel President Nissim Zvili welcomed the cooperation with Dalia, and said that Alstom attaches paramount strategic importance to its involvement in the project.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on July 31, 2011
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