British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume I - Page 533. Chapter XIII: Section 4: A Survey of Industry: Electric Supply in Palestine

CHAPTER XIII.

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY IN PALESTINE.

167. The electricity supply industry in Palestine is generally well developed. It is in the hands of two undertakings, the Jerusalem Electric and Public Service Corporation Ltd. whose concession covers the area within a circle of radius 20 kms. from the centre of Jerusalem, and the Palestine Electric Corporation Ltd. whose concession covers practically the whole of the rest of Palestine and Transjordan. (See paragraph 6 et seq in section 1 of chapter XXV).

PALESTINE ELECTRIC CORPORATION LTD.

168. This Corporation began operations in 1923, the original intention being to develop the hydro-electric resources of the Jordan Valley to provide cheap electricity for the development of industry and agriculture. As a first step, diesel-engine driven generating plants were installed at Tel Aviv, Haifa and Tiberias and these served the three-fold purpose of giving supply during the period of time taken to carry out the extensive works necessary before a hydro-electric generating station could be put into operation, of developing a market for electricity, and of providing a standby source of supply once the hydro-electric works and transmission lines were completed.

169. The second step in the development of the Corporation was the construction of the first Jordan hydro-electric power house about ten kilometres south of Lake Tiberias which is used as a storage reservoir. A further dam was erected across the Jordan and another across the river Yarmuk creating two small reservoirs joined by a canal; the combined flow of both rivers is thus available for generation of power. This power station was provided with three turbine sets, each of 8500 B.H.P. capacity, generating at 6300 volts, three-phase, 50 cycles per second, and was put into operation in 1932. The electricity was stepped up to 66,000 volts and transmitted to Haifa and Tel ll. viv by transmission lines of steel lattice tower construction designed for future operation at 132,000 volts.

170. The available output being insufficient to meet the growing power requirements of the country, work was commenced in 1934 on the erection of a steam turbine power station in Haifa, with a capacity of 30,000 KW. which was put into operation in 1935.

171. A second steam power station (the "Reading." power Station) was built two years later at the estuary of the Auja river near Tel Aviv. This station was put into operation in 1938, with two turbo-generator units of 12,000 KW. each.

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