Electricity Authority Freezes New Data Center Grid Connections

Israel's Electricity Authority instructed grid manager Noga to pause processing new data-center connection requests for 140 days after proposed demand reached about 27,000 megawatts, roughly three times the country's current average consumption. Noga warned that approving further requests under existing conditions could endanger grid stability, while an immediate refusal would reject more than 25,000 megawatts of requested capacity. Existing commitments covering about 1,500 megawatts will continue to be handled. The authority will use the pause to reassess reliability, system redundancy, competition, future electricity prices and natural-gas consumption before setting policy for additional connections.