The Ministry of Energy of Israel has decided to phase out coal-fired capacity by the end of 2025, instead of a previous objective to stop coal-fired power generation by 2030. To do so, the government plans to close four 365 MW units at the Orot Rabin power station in Hadera by 2022 and to convert the remaining two 575 MW MW units to gas. In addition, one unit at the 2,250 MW Rutemberg power plant in Ashkelon will be closed by 2022, and the other 3 units will be converted to gas by the end of 2024.
As of November 2019, Israel’s coal-fired capacity stood at 4.8 GW, accounting for 27% of its total installed capacity. According to the government, coal-fired generation has halved since 2015. In 2015, the Ministry of Energy declared a 15% reduction in coal consumption for power generation and ordered to reduce coal-fired power generation to a minimum in 2016. In 2017, the Policy 2030 focused on reducing polluting fuels by 2030 and considered coal exit.