Update 2 | MEPA approves extension for heavy fuel oil at Delimara

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority has decided Enemalta can continue using the heavy fuel oil (HFO) at the Delimara power station.

The current Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) permit issued under the previous administration allowed Enemalta to continue using HFO up until 30 June 2013 in the interim.

With 10 votes in favour and two against, the MEPA board today decided to extend Enemalta's permission to use HFO. The two votes against were submitted by Nationalist MP Ryan Callus and environment NGO representative Alex Vella.

Posting on Facebook, Callus said he voted against the extension because "this government has promised to stop using heavy fuel oil, labelling it a cancer factory".

"I just voted against its extension to keep him to his word," he wrote.

The approval of the permit extension also prompted former Nationalist minister George Pullicino to quip that if the board had been concerned about the use of HFO, the extension would have never been granted.

"It appears the use of HFO was only cancerous before the election," Pullicino said, referring to the Prime Minister's description of the power station as "a cancer factory".

The Nationalist MP also claimed someone had already taken the decision to extend the IPPC permit without consulting the board or its chairman.

"Was it the Prime Minister, Konrad Mizzi or MEPA's CEO who took this decision behind the board's back," Pullicino asked.

He also said he had analysed material data available on the Enemalta website in connection with the use of HFO at the power station. He said that none of the elements were in breach of thresholds set by MEPA, "proving that opting for HFO was not a wrong decision".

Callus also complained that MEPA had opted to conduct a public consultation meeting on the use of HFO without first informing the board of this idea.

In a reaction, the government accused the Opposition of hypocrisy, having been "the ones who lumped the country in with a power station that runs on heavy fuel oil".

"These are the same people who went to great lengths to change the country's environmental laws to suit the use of HFO," the ministry for energy said.

The ministry said MEPA had to take its decision today as the previous administration had "postponed the decision to after the general elections".

"The Opposition knew well enough that the extension was required since the Nationalist government had issued a temporary permit to use HFO until all required studies were carried out," it added.

The ministry said the Labour government was against the use of HFO and had started working from the very first day to convert the Delimara power station to gas.

"We are on track with our project to finally rid our country from the use of HFO," the ministry said.

It reminded that the gas supply and power purchase agreements will result in both cheaper utility bills and better air quality.

"This process is led by MEPA without any interference from the government. If it were up to the Opposition, the Maltese would be stuck with HFO for the coming 20 years," it said, reminding that the use of HFO for power stations will now be completely eliminated by 2015.

In turn, the Opposition issued a statement saying that during 2011, Muscat had urged the then Nationalist government to switch to diesel. "Yet, today the Labour government still wants to operate on heavy fuel oil even though the power station extension can be switched to diesel," the PN said.

According to the Oppositon, the MEPA board decision "exposed Muscat's deceit" who during the electoral campaign said the use of HFO was detrimental to the residents' health.

"It is clear that the campaign against heavy fuel oil was one of deceit built on fear and emotions," the PN said.

The BWSC-constructed power station can use both the cheap but polluting HFO, as well as the more expensive but cleaner gasoil diesel to operate. The plant can also be converted to natural gas, but at a considerable expense.

The current IPPC permit's conditions stipulate that Delimara's monitoring committee - a panel composed of Enemalta officials and local council representatives - analyse emissions data gathered over the first six months of the year, for a decision that was to be taken on 30 June 2013.

The committee is still awaiting an independent report by the Air Quality Management Resource Centre of the University of the West of England, Bristol.