PN welcomes Malta’s potential as gas-servicing hub

The Nationalist Party welcomed news that Malta could become a gas-servicing hub in the Mediterranean region.

The party’s spokesperson for energy MP George Pullicino said the Energy Conference reaffirmed Malta’s geopolitical importance on gas and the important role Malta could play in this regard.

The former Nationalist minister added that the previous administration had commissioned a study on the viability gas interconnection with the European grid, with Malta serving as a hub for the provision of gas to southern Europe.

“The idea proposed for Malta to develop an offshore facility to supply LNG gas to both Malta and the European network. This would have resulted in cheaper prices due to economies of scale and avoiding a gas storage facility in the bay of Marsaxlokk,” Pullicino said.

He added it was unfortunate that the feasibility study was then sidelined by the Labour government.

Pullicino also urged the Energy Minister to publish the revised national plan on clean energy which should have been published in September 2013.