Israel's national water utility Mekorot has opened a procurement process to develop as many as 10 solar power installations paired with battery storage at reservoirs throughout the country.

The installations are projected to deliver a combined output of about 100 megawatts and will feature storage lasting between four and six hours.

Selected developers will handle design, construction and operation of the sites under the tender. Mekorot retains first refusal rights to purchase the generated electricity for its own operational requirements.

The company ranks as Israel's largest civilian power consumer, using roughly 4 to 5 percent of national electricity at an annual cost near NIS 1 billion. Mekorot noted that boosting its own generation capacity and broadening energy sources will raise efficiency while lowering dependence on any single supplier.

The initiative continues Mekorot's ongoing renewable strategy. The firm has already placed photovoltaic arrays on buildings, near facilities, along the National Water Carrier and on treated wastewater reservoirs in the north. It also produces hydroelectric power at points in the transmission network where surplus pressure exists.

Projects totaling more than 250 megawatts of capacity are now advancing through various stages, some including storage. Mekorot stated that greater self-generation will improve resilience of the water network and support uninterrupted supply in both normal conditions and crises.

Energy and Infrastructure Minister Eli Cohen noted that the effort will bolster national energy security and advance renewable targets. Construction of the solar facilities strengthens energy security, ensures steady supply during routine and emergency periods, and aids progress toward clean electricity goals, Cohen said.

Mekorot Chairman Moshe Shimoni highlighted the operational benefits. Building solar facilities and storage systems marks an important move toward greater energy independence and continuity for the water sector, Shimoni said. The program forms part of wider renewable energy efforts underway at the company.