Enemalta has been instructed to ask Danish company BWSC for permission to publish the €165 million power station extension contract signed last year.

In a letter, Enemalta asked BWSC for "written consent" to release the government from a confidentiality clause to be able to make public the controversial contract.

"The government holds the strong view that it is in the country's best interest that the contract is made available for public scrutiny, with immediate effect," Enemalta CEO Karl Camilleri wrote.

The letter was sent on Wednesday on Finance Minister Tonio Fenech's instructions. Only last week, he refused to give in to a request by the opposition in Parliament to table the contract, insisting it was of a "confidential nature".

But in comments to The Times, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said on Wednesday he had no objection to releasing the contract as long as BWSC agreed.

The contract was criticised by the Auditor General in a recent report on the tendering process that led to the BWSC being chosen for the extension contract. Among other things, the Auditor said the contract, signed behind closed doors last year, was drawn up hastily, to the extent it had track changes still visible.

In a statement, issued with a copy of the letter yesterday, the Finance Ministry said publishing the contract would remove unfounded allegations by the opposition that was more interested in obstructing rather than working for the country's good.

The Auditor General found no hard evidence of corruption but highlighted serious administrative shortcomings in the tendering process.

Public Affairs Committee chairman Charles Mangion has said he would ask for a copy of the contract when the House committee started debating the Auditor's report.

The Finance Ministry pointed out yesterday the Auditor General had a copy of the contract during his investigations. "Since it was given to the Auditor General, the government has no problem to publish this contract."

The opposition never presented any evidence of corruption in the tendering process before the Public Affairs Committee or to the Auditor General, even though it made such claims for months, the ministry said.

Publishing the contract would also disprove claims by Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat of a €300 million fine if the contract was released.

The contract was for the supply of a 144-megawatt diesel power plant at the Delimara power station for a value of €165 million. An outline proposal for spare parts and a technical support agreement was included in the contract for an additional amount of €18 million.

Efforts to contact BWSC proved unsuccessful.