No binding energy policy to guide Delimara decision
James Debono A major decision on whether to green-light the use of heavy fuel oil for the Delimara power station will be taken in the absence of a national energy policy – a policy that is still in draft form, and must be subjected to EU checks.
Labour shadow minister for the environment Leo Brincat said any projects undertaken until November 2010 will have been “carried out in a vacuum” without Malta yet having its national energy policy.
The draft version, published in April 2009, must be subjected to a ‘strategic environmental impact assessment’ (SEA) according to EU laws. But this study will take place at such a late stage, that a major decision on Delimara could be taken without any binding policy in place.
“It is a matter of deep concern that government seems to be project-driven rather than policy driven in the energy sector,” Brincat told MaltaToday.
A contract for the completion of the SEA was awarded by tender last November, but Brincat says that Malta will have no policy for the rest of the year and that government will “continue pushing ahead with piecemeal energy projects, both in the conventional and alternative energy sectors.”
The government is also refusing Brincat’s requests to publish various studies mentioned in the draft energy policy.
One of these is a feasibility study by the Malta Resources Authority to consider the provision of natural gas via a pipeline running from Gela, Sicily, to Delimara; as well as a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal at Delimara, and the storage of compressed natural gas.
The study recommends the LNG terminal, with a storage capacity of 60,000 cubic metres, as the most feasible option.
The government has dismissed this recommendation, opting instead of the use of heavy fuel oil.
The government has also refused to publish studies by Lahmeyer International on the Malta-Sicily interconnection, awarded by public tender for €397,000; and another follow-up study awarded by direct order for €68,800. Lahmeyer is accused by the Labour party of recommending Danish firm BWSC’s technology for the Delimara power station extension, and that both Lahmeyer and BWSC have the same Maltese representative.
Infrastructure minister Austin Gatt has also told parliament that the feasibility study on the Malta-Sicily cable, which is EU-financed, was owned jointly by Enemalta and the Italian electrical network Terna, and that Enemalta was not free to publish this report without Terna’s permission.
Any comments?
If you wish your comments to be published in our Letters pages please click button below. Please write a contact number and a postal address where you may be contacted.
Search:
MALTATODAY
BUSINESSTODAY
Download MaltaToday Sunday issue front page in pdf file format
