EDF Renewables, a unit of French energy giant EDF, has won the Israeli government’s latest tender to build and operate the country’s largest solar power plant, according to a statement from Israel’s Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure. The 300 MW project will be built near the southern city of Dimona in the Negev Desert.
The company submitted a bid of just under ILS 0.07 ($0.019)/kWh – the lowest price ever recorded in an energy tender in Israel. EDF Renewables broke the ILS barrier of 0.07/kWh for the first time in July when it won a tender to build and operate a new 100 MW in the small community of Ashalim, about 30 km from the Dimona factory site.
“This project is a real breakthrough in terms of reducing electricity prices, strengthening the country’s energy independence and reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said Accountant General of Israel’s Ministry of Finance, Yehli Rotenberg. “We will continue to promote national projects through the public-private partnership (PPP) method to provide maximum value to electricity consumers and the necessary certainty in setting up national infrastructure in accordance with the needs of the economy.”
Once completed, the Dimona-Ashalim region will provide 700 MW of renewable energy in six power stations.
“The tender is an important milestone towards achieving the national renewable energy target,” said Energy Minister Yossi Dagan. “The unprecedented price of less than ILS 0.07 per kWh demonstrates the significant advances in solar technology and highlights the potential of solar energy to strengthen the electricity grid by diversifying energy sources and decentralizing energy generation locations while providing highly attractive energy prices for the electricity market offer. .”
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