AG asked to probe power station claims

The government has asked the Auditor General to investigate claims of political involvement in the tendering process for the extension of the power station in Delimara.

While denying the allegations, Infrastructure Minister Austin Gatt met the Auditor General shortly after writing to him to ask him to look into these claims. Parliament's Public Accounts Committee had called for the investigation after the Labour Party asked the Prime Minister to take action over a contract awarded to Danish energy company BWSC and accused Dr Gatt of changing environmental laws to benefit the company's equipment. The Opposition said the government should not have awarded the contract to BWSC for a number of reasons and criticised the ministry for choosing bulky and polluting equipment with high operation costs that could result in higher tariffs.