An interior view of the Kokhav Hayarden Pumped Storage Hydropower Plant.
An aerial view of the plant.
On Feb 20, POWERCHINA's Kokhav Hayarden Pumped Storage Hydropower Plant in Israel received the electricity production license issued by the Israeli Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure's Electricity Authority and the project handover certificate from the owner. The power station commenced commercial operation on Feb 21, achieving project handover.
The plant is a key national project in the Gilboa Mountains in northeastern Israel, near the lower Jordan Valley. It is the country's second and largest pumped storage power station.
The station consists of an upper reservoir, a water conveyance system, an underground powerhouse, a lower reservoir, and a central control building/switchyard. The underground powerhouse is equipped with two 172-megawatt reversible hydroelectric generating units, with a total installed capacity of 344MW. These units play a crucial role in ensuring the security and stability of Israel's power grid.
This marks a significant milestone as the first overseas EPC pumped storage power station project handed over by a Chinese contractor in 2025.