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The war with Iran has sharpened the urgent need to protect Israel’s energy infrastructure. While Europe long ago adopted a solution by interconnecting national electricity grids – thereby reducing environmental impact, saving costs, and preparing for extreme scenarios ranging from cyberattacks to conventional warfare – Israel remains a vulnerable “electric island.” It is time to change this paradigm.
The Vulnerability of the “Electric Island”
Donald Trump recently threatened to send Iran back to the “Stone Age” by attacking its power plants and infrastructure. However, repeated strikes on the Bazan refineries, following Israel’s attack on Iranian energy infrastructure, make it clear that there are two sides to the equation.
According to a report by the Jerusalem Post, which allegedly relied on a Ukrainian intelligence source, Russia has given Iran a list of 55 energy facilities in Israel, divided into critical national production facilities, large urban energy centers, and local substations. This is worrying, because we have seen that Iran is capable of targeting vital facilities in Israel: a refinery, a hospital, a university, and more.
In 2024, the former CEO of Israel’s Independent System Operator (Noga), Shaul Goldstein, warned that a comprehensive 72-hour blackout could render Israel “uninhabitable.” This vulnerability stems from Israel’s status as an “electric island,” lacking interconnections with neighboring grids. To understand the risk, one can look at Texas in February 2021: as a near-island grid, it suffered a catastrophic collapse during a winter storm. Without the ability to import power, 11 million residents were left in the dark, hundreds died, and the economic damage exceeded $200 billion.
Resilience Through Interconnection: The Ukrainian and Iberian Cases
In contrast, Ukraine has managed to mitigate the destruction of its power grid by Russia through an emergency synchronization with the European ENTSO-E network in March 2022. This connection allowed Ukraine to import electricity during critical windows and stabilize its system after massive missile strikes, preventing a total and prolonged humanitarian disaster.
Conversely, the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) provided a cautionary tale in April 2025. When the peninsula lost 60% of its production capacity in seconds, the sudden isolation from the European grid led to a total collapse. Power was restored only after 10–16 hours, causing severe transport disruptions, water shortages, and excess mortality in hospitals.
A Strategic Roadmap for Israel
Regional electricity connectivity and shared markets already exist globally: from the European ENTSO-E and the NordPool market to the SIEPAC bridge in Central America and the existing Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) interconnection.
In a comprehensive policy paper co-authored with Bar Rappaport for the Mitvim Institute, we recommend integrating Israel’s grid with those of Egypt and Jordan, in addition to the planned “Great Sea Interconnector” to Cyprus.
The advantages of prioritizing connections with Jordan and Egypt include:
- Geographic Proximity: Land-based connections are significantly cheaper than subsea cables.
- Economic Efficiency: Electricity prices in these neighboring states are often lower than in the European-connected Cypriot market.
- Strategic Transit: Israel could serve as a vital corridor for transferring power produced in the Gulf States to the European market.
- Diplomatic Fortification: Strengthening energy trade ties solidifies existing peace treaties through mutual dependence.
National Security as “Electric Peace”
The proposed connectivity is not merely an economic venture; it is a national security strategy. A cross-border grid acts as a “virtual battery,” allowing the system to absorb localized failures or targeted strikes without collapsing. This mutual backup provides a layer of depth that a solitary system simply cannot achieve.
Furthermore, such integration optimizes regional production by leveraging geographic strengths – such as Jordan’s vast solar and wind potential. This reduces the need for expensive, polluting “peaker” plants in Israel and saves billions in redundant infrastructure costs.
From a diplomatic perspective, this infrastructure becomes an anchor for regional stability. Creating positive mutual dependence fosters a shared interest in maintaining peace and trade. Our policy proposes a phased approach: beginning with technical backup connections and evolving into a dynamic regional electricity market.
In an era where energy infrastructure is a primary strategic target, connectivity is the bridge that will transform Israel from a vulnerable, isolated system into a resilient regional energy hub. Inter-state electrical connectivity is a pillar of national security, and in 2026, it has become an urgent necessity.
