Israel set to debate first nuclear power plant project

The proposal to build Israel’s first nuclear power plant in the Negev Desert will be reviewed next week by the regional planning and building committee. However, the Ramat Negev Regional Council, which oversees the area where the facility would be built, strongly opposes the plan. The proposal also raises several unresolved questions, including the source of nuclear fuel and the cooling system for the reactor in the desert climate. Moreover, it is not clear which country would build the facility as Israel has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The current site of the plant near Shivta has been recommended by the Energy and Infrastructure Ministry after eliminating various potential alternatives. The Bensor region, for example, was excluded due to its proximity to a military airfield, a clear breach of IAEA guidelines. Another location, Nitzanim, was instead disqualified due to fears of a military strike and potential environmental contamination. Finally, the Beit Guvrin area was rejected due to its proximity to population centers and its strategic significance as an IDF training zone. However, critics say that the Shivta site is still problematic because nearby communities like the Bedouin town of Bir Hadaj are exposed to potential risks from the facility. The Energy Ministry has defended the decision, citing the site’s distance from seismic zones and underlining the “extremely high safety standards” of modern nuclear power plants.
The project could take decades to become a reality. No country can sell Israel a nuclear reactor due to its status outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Only a few global companies can build nuclear reactors, and many have recently ceased such operations. The supply of nuclear fuel would come from abroad, undermining Israel’s energy independence. Furthermore, building a reactor in the Negev Desert would need a reliable cooling system and extensive infrastructure to transport water to the site. Ramat Negev’s chief engineer, Oren Peretz, criticized the project for having been decided without consulting local communities and for being based on a site evaluation conducted in the 1980s. He also emphasized the risk that the plant becomes a military target, putting the security of the entire Negev region – an essential evacuation and shelter zone during wartime – in jeopardy.