Israel reduces gas supplies to Egypt over Tamar, Leviathan ‘maintenance’
Egypt’s intake of natural gas from Israel has declined by about 250 million cubic feet per day due to “maintenance” at the Tamar and Leviathan fields.
At the same time, the government is preparing to add 1,800 megawatts of solar power to the national electricity grid in June 2026 to cut gas consumption and secure summer supplies.
A source familiar with the matter at the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Al Manassa that current flows of Israeli gas stand at about 950 million cubic feet per day, compared to an average of 1.2 billion cubic feet per day since mid-May, noting that the incoming volumes are directed primarily to the domestic market to meet the needs of various sectors.
Israeli gas imports had risen by about 26% since mid-May to reach 1.2 billion cubic feet per day, compared with about 950 million cubic feet per day at the beginning of the same month, coinciding with higher gas consumption in the domestic market.
Egypt and Israel are bound by a gas export agreement signed in 2019, which was later amended to run until 2040, with the contracted volume raised to 130 billion cubic meters. The agreement uses a pricing mechanism linked to global Brent crude prices. Reports indicate that the current gas price stands at about $7.7 per million British thermal units (BTU).
A source familiar with power generation at the New and Renewable Energy Authority said the government is preparing to feed 1,800 megawatts of solar power into the national grid gradually during June, as part of preparations for the peak demand period expected in summer 2026.
The source, who asked not to be named, told Al Manassa that the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy has begun trial operations for approximately 500 megawatts as part of the second phase of the “Obelisk” solar power plant project in Qena governorate, in preparation for the start of commercial operations in the coming weeks.
The source added that the ministry is also preparing to bring online the Kom Ombo solar power plant in Aswan, with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts, alongside another 300-megawatt plant in Upper Egypt, boosting the contribution of renewable energy to the electricity generation mix.
The Ministry of Electricity source noted that the new capacity will provide important support to the power grid during the summer months, with loads expected to rise to about 41,000 megawatts, compared with about 33,000 megawatts currently.
The source said the new solar projects, once in service, will help cut the natural gas used at power plants by about 170 to 200 million cubic feet per day, equivalent to between 62 and 73 billion cubic feet annually. The source explained that the electricity sector currently consumes between 58% and 60% of Egypt’s total natural gas consumption.
Renewable energy sources account for about 5% of total electricity consumed domestically, according to the latest Ministry of Electricity data, while the government aims to raise that share to 45% by 2028 through expanding solar and wind projects and attracting new investment in the sector.