Almost Total Blackout: The Moment Israel Came Within a Second of a Nationwide Power Collapse

The recent attack on Israel’s Bazan oil refinery during the war with Iran exposed the country’s fragile and overly centralized energy infrastructure that could push Israel into a severe energy crisis.

Luckily, earlier this week, Israel’s main refinery, owned by Bazan Group and located in the Haifa Bay, resumed operations after being struck twice during the war.

Israel has an alternative: a shift toward a decentralized, solar-powered, and resilient energy system - one that already exists and is economically viable.

The attack was a realization of a long-feared scenario: had it not been for the smaller refinery in Ashdod and a limited emergency oil reserve lasting only a few weeks, Israel could have faced a major energy crisis.

While the country can import refined oil products (the kind processed at Bazan) via sea, this option also comes with constraints.

There are very few ports capable of handling such shipments, and these too could be shut down in extreme scenarios.

Additionally, shipping companies may refuse to dock in Israel due to security or political concerns. This was illustrated recently when global shipping giant MAERSK suspended operations at Haifa Port during Operation "Rising Lion" citing high risk.

Similar refusals to cooperate with Israel are spreading globally, as more governments face internal pressure to halt arms sales or trade.

Just in the last three years, several real-world examples emerged: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and more recently, the Houthis’ partial blockade of the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait during the ongoing “Iron Swords” war, both served as stark reminders.

In recent years, the energy security of nations has become increasingly vulnerable to geopolitical tensions and warfare, especially when fossil-fuel-producing countries are involved, or when strategic shipping lanes are threatened.