Kaanan Obeid says he expects the power plant to start operating again later Monday.

Obeid has said the plant was shut down Saturday because it ran out of fuel supplied by Israel. It was not clear whether the plant actually ran out of fuel or whether Gaza's Hamas leaders were trying to exaggerate the impression of crisis.

Israel has severely limited shipments to pressure Palestinian militants to halt their rocket barrages at nearby Jewish communities.

The power plant supplies electricity to about 400,000 people. However, most of Gaza's electricity is piped directly from Israel, so residents still received electricity for about six hours a day despite the shutdown.