A workshop held in the Gaza Strip to explore solutions to the electricity crisis concluded on Saturday with a national agreement of several points including the formation of a national commission to follow up the issue.
Palestinian ministers Mamoun Abu Shahla and Mufid al-Hasaineh as well as officials from Palestinian factions and civil societies participated in the workshop which was called for by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
After in-depth debate senior PFLP official Jamil Mizher read out the points of the agreement stating that the concerned parties agreed on immediately forming a national commission from factions the private sector and the government represented by ministers Abu Shahla and Hasaineh to follow up the execution of the agreement.
The agreement also stipulates that there will be comprehensive tax exemptions on fuel supplies for the Gaza power plant for three months and sufficient quantities of fuel to operate the plant at full capacity.
The board of directors at the electricity distribution company will also be re-formed according to national and professional criteria and the company is demanded to work on expanding the electricity supply to Gaza and the production capacity of the power plant.
In addition the authorities in Gaza are committed under this agreement to paying the power bills of institutions ministries and houses of worship and installing prepaid electricity meters.
The agreement also includes other points that will lead to improving the quality and quantity of power production finding alternative energy solutions and activating the billing and collection system.
