Power station blast 'not caused by lack of maintenance'

Enemalta has ruled out lack of maintenance as the probable cause of last week's explosion at the Marsa power station but has kept silent about the sabotage theory hinted at by government officials soon after the blast.

Enemalta employees have been suggesting anonymously that lack of maintenance was a more likely cause than sabotage. In a terse one-word reply, Enemalta simply said "no" when asked by The Times whether initial investigations indicated lack of maintenance as the probable cause of the explosion.

The corporation was less forthcoming when asked whether the sabotage theory had been ruled out.

"The case is being investigated internally as well as by the police and the duty magistrate. It would not be prudent to comment on any findings at this stage," a spokesman said.

Engineers who had spoken to The Times on condition of anonymity were dismissive of the sabotage theory, attributing the explosion to a fault. They insisted "it was possible" for switchgear technology to fail, apart from the fact it would have been a very dangerous operation for anyone wanting to sabotage the equipment.

They had also dismissed the coincidental connection made between the explosion and the television interview with Enemalta's chairman Alex Tranter the night before, insisting the corporation was constantly in the news and anyone wanting to make such a sinister link could do so every day.

Mr Tranter had said: "I understand press reports have observed that this is not the first time we had a power cut because of a fault at the Marsa power station while Enemalta was being discussed on television or in Parliament."

Last June, when the plant broke down twice on the same day, a similar coincidental connection was made with the fact that Enemalta's accounts were being discussed in Parliament. The power cut was eventually traced back to a fault.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com