Energy minister insists Delimara power plant is 'safe'

Describing the planned gas-powered plant in Delimara as “a project of national importance,” energy minister Konrad Mizzi said denied that things were done hastily.

Mizzi was speaking during the three-hour Parliamentary debate on the new gas-fired power station in Delimara and its environmental impact.

In his address to Parliament, PN leader Simon Busuttil reiterated that unlike government, the opposition was “listening to the residents’ concerns,” and announced a rally for Marsaxlokk and Birzebugia residents on Sunday.

While stressing that “no short cuts were taken,” the energy minister kicked off the debate by insisted that the as confirmed by the report compiled by George Papadakis, a SEVESO Directive expert,  the project poses no risk to residents in Marsaxlokk, Birzebugia and surrounding localities.

The opposition is not interested in the truth, but it is only interested in scaremongering and scoring political points. Energy minister Konrad Mizzi

He also reassured that the transfer of gas from large vessels to the LNG storage which will be berthed inside the Marsaxlokk bay was safe and would not impact on the use of the port, which hosts a number of other facilities including the Malta Freeport.

“The opposition is clutching at straws, after trying to alarm the people over the gas storage facilities, it is now trying to create alarm over the use of the port.”

Miizi explained that simulation tests carried out by Transport Malta had confirmed that the transfer of gas, which will only happen around 10 times a year, would have no negative effect on the port and this would not be closed down during such operations.

Despite the opposition’s scaremongering, safety and security are a top priority for government, the minister said that “the opposition is not interested in the truth, but it is only interested in scaremongering and scoring political points.”

“The opposition has zero credibility on energy,” he added, noting that the previous government had constructed a power plant running on the highly polluting heavy fuel oil.

Pointing out that the power plant will allow government to reduce electricity tariffs, Mizzi said that thanks to the new plant which is set to commissioned next year, emissions will be drastically reduced.

Explaining that the timeworn Marsa power plant and the Delimara phase 1 plant would be decommissioned, Mizzi underlined the government’s commitment to reduce emissions and generate clean energy in both the new power plant and the BWSC plant which will also be converted to gas.

In reply, opposition deputy leader Mario de Marco said the “people expect realistic talk and not political speeches.”

De Marco called on the government to seek alternative solutions, such as anchoring the storage vessels outside the bay. “we are not telling the government to halt the project, we are simply saying that before connecting Malta to a gas pipeline, gas should be stored offshore.”

We are not telling the government to halt the project, we are simply saying that before connecting Malta to a gas pipeline, LNG should be stored offshore. PN deputy leader Mario de Marco

Calling for “political maturity,” de Marco said government should not present its proposal for approval by MEPA on Monday, and consider other options.

Asserting that the PN’s criticism was neither “negative nor destructive,” de Marco said the opposition was only reflecting the concerns raised by residents, The Green Party and a number of NGOs.

Admitting that residents of southern Malta had been “let down”by successive governments, de Marco said that it would have been of greater benefit had the Parliamentary debate taken place at Adding that committee stage.

Insisting that he had no intention to attack government’s actions, de Marco said it would have been of greater benefit if MPs had listened to experts and residents rather than hold a series of monologues in the plenary.

Noting that the opposition agreed with government in its attempts to convert energy generation to gas, reduce energy costs and connect Malta to a gas pipeline.

“The disagreement lays in the method on how these aims will be reached. The government is acting hastily because of the timeframes it imposed on itself."

Adding that the reduction in energy tariffs were also made possible thanks to the previous investment in the Malta-Sicily interconnector and the BWSC plant which will be sold to the Chinese investors.

However, reductions can also take place without the construction of a new power plant in the timeframe government has set, de Marco said.

Explaining that LNG was dangerous, “like all flammable gases are,” de Marco called for caution and while warning that all parties should refrain from “exaggerating.”

Citing international regulations, de Marco said that safety could only be guaranteed if the area is free from ignition sources such as lightning strikes, open flames such as cigarettes and welding and mechanically and industrial generated sparks.

He added that this could not be guaranteed since the gas storage vessels will be berthed in a bay which is “very active” and surrounded by a number of industrial facilities, such as the Freeport.

Labour MP Marlene Farrugia who chairs the Parliamentary committee on planning which last week requested a ruling by Speaker Anglu Farrugia whether a debate should be held at committee stage, said she had hoped that experts appeared before the committee to give their advice on what was best for the country.

“I was hoping to engage with the experts in an atmosphere which is not politically charged...however this did not happen unfortunately.”

Stressing that the decision to construct a new gas powered plant was unquestionable,Farrugia called for political consensus built on expert advice.

Echoing de Marco’s criticism, Nationalist MP and MEPA board member, Ryan Callus said that he would have rather had a debate at a committee level, where he would have been able to quiz the experts who compiled the report commissioned by the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA).

Accusing government of “defending the project rather than the people,” Callus said that a similar project in Livorno, Italy had a 3km security ring and a surveillance vessel which ensured that no ships enter the zone during the transfer of gas from tankers to the storage vessels. 

He also questioned why a second report on the project's safety was "only published five minutes before this evening's sitting" and why a maritime impact assessment was not carried out.  

Environment minister Leo Brincat said the “biggest confirmation that the opposition’s alarmism is uncalled for, is the safety track record on LNG which shows that the last recorded incident involving the gas goes back to 1944.”

Noting the difference between PN deputy leader Mario de Marco’s conciliatory tone and the PN’s harsh attacks in recent weeks, Brincat said the opposition’s claims that it was in favour of the conversion to gas weren’t credible.

On his part, Labour MP and Marsaxlokk resident, Luciano Busuttil called on energy minister to convert the BWSC plant to gas “as soon as possible.”

Confessing that he would be making an “emotional speech rather than a rational one,” Busuttil said that the PN was not credible given its track record in the energy sector.

Waving his son’s asthma inhaler, the MP said that the heavy fuel oil used at the BWSC plant was the cause of high levels of respiratory problems in the area. 

PN leader Simon Busuttil said the government “has a mandate to reduce energy tariffs, build a new plant and convert the BWSC to gas. But, it does not have a mandate to berth a tanker carrying LNG in Marsaxlokk bay.”

Announcing a rally for Marsaxlokk residents, Busuttil said that the PN would support and represent the residents who were raising concerns.

“In the absence of the government, we will be the voice of the residents,” he said.

In a direct appeal to government, Busuttil added “Stop, do not be stubborn, listen to the people. Do not bulldoze over the people’s concerns.”

Reiterating his party’s call to relocate the gas storage vessel and regasification plant offshore, Busuttil asked what affect the vessel will have on the fishing industry, tourism and the value of properties in the area.

Saying that these were the “residents’ legitimate concerns,” the PN leader said that these worries were being ignored by government and the PN was representing the residents.  

Quoting independent Dutch expert, Hans Pasman, the opposition leader warned that “a gas leak would be disastrous.” He added that the reports published by the government, “were not enough to put the people’s minds at rest.”

He said that government can choose alternative solutions. “Why did government exclude the possibility of anchoring the LNG tanker outside the port?”

Busuttil asked why the government was ignoring the experience of other plants abroad and ploughing ahead with its plans without studying and weighing other options.

Belittling claims that an offshore storage vessel was more dangerous than anchoring a LNG tanker inside the port, Busuttil asked “how is this possible if the tanker would be located further away from the people?”

Despite proceedings were calm throughout the three hour debate, as Mizzi concluded the session, tempers flared as the opposition MPs demanded the minister to substantiate his claim that “the majority of Marsaxlokk and Birzebugia residents were in favour of the project.”

This provoked an angry reaction by PN whip David Agius who repeatedly yelled “shame on you” which brought the Speaker of the House threatening to suspend the sitting.

After the Speaker admonished unruly MPs on both sides of the House for their “shameful” behavior, things returned to normality after the minister provided the document he was quoting.