Mizzi attends energy ministers meeting, Šefčovič lauds Maltese LNG project

Malta’s reduction of electricity tariffs as lauded by the Vice-President of the European Commission, Maroš Šefčovič, in his intervention at the Informal Energy Meeting hosted by the Slovak Presidency of the Council of the European Union in Bratislava.

The meeting was attended by the former energy minister, now minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister,  Konrad Mizzi.

Šefčovič said that households in Malta had the lowest electricity costs in the EU as a percentage of their income, in contrast with the increasing tariffs across the EU since 2008, which have increased by 4% per annum for households.

Mizzi said that energy costs made a real impact in people’s lives, and prices are directly correlated with economic growth, and people’s prosperity. “Malta fully supports the energy union and electricity market design, while stressing that taxation should remain the remit of national governments.”

Mizzi also commented that work on route identification of the Malta-Gela gas pipeline is progressing.

The meeting stressed on the importance of cheap and affordable energy, on optimisations of the energy mix and cost structure, and investment in new gas-fired plants and floating storage units.

Permanent Secretary Ronald Mizzi accompanied Minister Konrad Mizzi in Bratislava.