Mizzi claims over €9,500 in gas savings in new Eternal Flame hours

The decision to reduce the hours of the burning eternal flame in Floriana will translate into weekly savings of €183 and 311 litre of gas, according to Infrastructure Minister Joe Mizzi.

The ministry also changed its supplier and is now buying its gas from Liquigas, the biggest supplier of LPG on the island.

For "cost-cutting reasons", one of the very first decisions taken by the Labour government was to reduce the hours of the burning flame, bordering the Floriana War memorial.

Despite its 'eternal flame' title, until March 2013, the two flames used to burn for 18 hours between 6am and midnight. After the general elections, they were reduced to 12 hours burning between 6pm and 6am.

Now they are being lit up between 10am and 10pm.

According to information tabled in parliament, original supplier Easy Gas supplied a total of 34,324 litres in 38 weeks. The flames consumed around 903.26 litres of gas a week.

The ministry has now appointed Liquigas as its new supplier who so far have supplied an average of 592 litres a week.

"This means that around 311 litres of gas will be saved every week, amounting to €183 weekly savings," Mizzi said.

The eternal flames, with a gas storage tank installed under the monument, was first lit in April 2012 marking the 70^th anniversary of the award of the George Cross.

The torches were designed and built by Maltese sculptor Mariorick Mifsud, who was paid €28,990 for his work.