Updated | Pullicino Orlando will discuss Delimara motion with Franco Debono

Updated at 1:30pm

Independent MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando has requested a meeting with Nationalist MP Franco Debono to discuss the motion calling for the cessation of the use heavy fuel oil to fire the Delimara power station's new turbines.

Debono, who filed the motion yesterday, confirmed with MaltaToday that the call has now taken place.

"I appreciate Pullicino Orlando's efforts and his interest in my motion. We will be meeting in the coming days to discuss it," he said.

Earlier today, Pullicino Orland told MaltaToday that he was planning to contact Franco Debono to discuss the issue.

"I plan on discussing the motion with Hon. Debono and would rather give you my opinion after doing so," Pullicino Orlando told MaltaToday when asked about Debono's unexpected motion, which strikes right at the heart of government's current energy policy.

Debono's motion also demands that the national energy corporation's petroleum operation in Birzebbugia, the 31 March 1979 depot, is closed down.

The motion states that the use of heavy fuel oil for the Delimara extension was "unacceptable" as well as "detrimental and of serious threat" to the health of residents in the Birzebbugia, Marsaxlokk, Zejtun, Marsaskala and neighbouring localities.

The motion calls on the House of Representatives to approve that the petroleum operation formerly known as the Shell depot, is removed at once, while the use of HFO in Delimara is instantly stopped. "Substantial measures must be taken to stop any development in the area that is not in conformity with EU directives."

Debono's motion comes at a time of general political lull as the prime minister is currently on vacation, but the call to stop the Delimara power station from running on heavy fuel oil strikes right at the heart of the government's current policy on energy. Lawrence Gonzi, who is expected to return from his summer vacation tonight Friday evening, will be addressing a political meeting in Birzebbugia, one of the localities affected by the Delimara power station, on Sunday at 11am.

The decision by Enemalta to run the Delimara extension on HFO was the subject of years of political duelling between government and Opposition.

Debono's motion comes a day after the Office of the Prime Minister denied that the government had attempted to stop the Gudja MP from voting in favour of an Opposition motion, by offering him a number of concessions amongst them the perks of a junior minister

In a statement yesterday evening, finance minister Tonio Fenech said the government had already committed itself to convert the Delimara power station to a gas-fired engine, and that this had not been resorted to in the first place due to its prohibitive cost.

"With the financing from the European Commission on the pipeline connected to the European gas network, this will be considered," Fenech said, who also said the Marsa power station will be closed down once the electricity interconnector to Sicily is completed.

Referring to the '31 March 1979' petroleum depot, Fenech said privatisation talks for this division of Enemalta's operations were underway, and that the depot was scheduled for closure and relocation once the competitive process is completed. "The same will happen as in the case of the transfer of the Qajjenza gas division to the new and secure Benghajsa gas bottling plant," Fenech said.

The finance minister, who took over stewardship of energy policy over from infrastructure and transport minister Austin Gatt, said the Delimara power station extension had the best European environmental standards. "Running the extension using gasoil would have meant an extra €37 million cost that would have been reflected in an increase in energy tariffs," Fenech said.