QATAR TO RENEW GRANT TO FINANCE FUEL FOR GAZA POWER PLANT

Gaza City, 12 Jumadil Awwal 1435/13 March 2014 (MINA) – Qatar will renew its grant to Gaza to help keep the lone power plant running for three months, Energy Authority in Gaza announced Wendesday.

Media officer at the authority Ahmed Abu al-Omarein  told ALRAY that Emirate of Qatar will donate an additional $32 million to cover the Palestinian Authority- levied VAT on the fuel imports.

Omarein said the Qatari grant would allow for electricity to be generated for three months, adding that the eight-hour shift schedule is to continue, ALRAY, Palestinian Media Agency quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting, Thursday.

Deputy Head of Energy Authority Fathi Hammad said earlier on Sunday that “Gaza would return to six hours of electricity schedule if Palestinian Authority continues to levy value added tax on the imported fuel,”

Qatar has remitted funds worth $32 million during the past four months as a tax on the diesel fuel bought from Israel.

On December 15, 2013, Gaza’s lone power plant stirred to life following seven weeks of stopping, allowing for only six hours of electricity supplied from Israel via cables.

The plant provides some 30 percent of the coastal enclave’s electricity needs, generating around 60 megawatts of electricity.

As the Egyptian military destroyed about 80% of the cross-border tunnels as from July 2013, Gaza reeled from lack of fuel used for the power plant to generate electricity. (T/E01/IR)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)