Delimara power plant report calls for 'integrated risk assessment'

A report published this evening by the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA) on the planned Delimara power plant concludes that an integrated risk assessment procedure for the Marsaxlokk and Birzebugia areas, is required, “due to the simultaneous presence of hazardous industrial plants (upper tier installation under COMAH), production activities, transport by road and sea of dangerous goods and residential areas.”

The report, compiled by Italian expert, Dr Umberto Maffezzoli added that the integrated risk assessment required an analysis of the existing and future arrangements in terms of transport (by road and sea), storage and handling of hazardous substances / dangerous goods. The report was published upon Din L-Art Helwa's insistence. 

Moreover, the report listed other six other environment and safety requirements, including taking into consideration the risk of earthquakes in the plant’s design and the replacement of the fuel unloading area, presently on the dolphin in the Marsaxlokk bay, for the feed to the onshore facilities.

 The report says that the unloading area on the dolphin at the Has Saptan underground installation operated by Enemalta Corporation, “has to be removed in order to reduce the possibility of a ship collision or spillage from other tankers affecting the LNG carrier.

The report proposes that ships directed to the dolphin can moor to the same jetty presently used for the Delimara Power Station fuels. By June 2014, Enemalta is required to submit to the competent authorities a specific design for the decommissioning of the dolphin unloading area.

OHSA said it provided all the relevant information together with this report and the quantitative risk assessment prepared by Roberto Vaccari to George Papadakis.

The report also requires the application of the best available technology to reduce risks and to prevent environmental pollution.