Delimara power station extension: €1 million saved in fuel costs
After a week of continuous operation, the Delimara Power Station extension has produced 14,200 MWh of electricity.
With the plant’s 47 per cent efficiency 1,500 tonnes of fuel oil and 300 tonnes of gasoil were saved, which equates to €1 million in fuel savings.
The plant is capable of producing around 24,000 MW every week but the engines are being operated on a special regime which will make sure there is appropriate flexibility when it comes to maintenance.
Maintenance is carried out after a certain number of hours of operation, so to spread out the maintenance inspections, the engines need to have been in operation for different amount of hours to ensure the optimum use of all the plant.
Enemalta said that through the operation of the new plant and as a result of the reduction in output from Marsa, it was expecting a reduction of 43,000 tonnes of CO2 every month. Other emissions were also to be significantly reduced as in the table below, Enemalta said.
|
Emissions |
Net monthly reduction |
|
NOX |
66 tonnes |
|
SO2 |
138 tonnes |
|
Dust |
6 tonnes |
Despite of having to operate Marsa for longer than originally planned, the total annual emissions are expected to be within the annual limits for 2012 imposed by the European Union.
Enemalta thanked all employees who would be working around the clock during this festive season in the various sections of the corporation.
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E. Azzopardi
Dec 22nd 2012, 13:43
Good, you see you can lower the water and electricity tariifs!!! It's all coming in very nicely, until it trips!!
Anthony Pace Gouder
Dec 22nd 2012, 18:50
It WOULDN'T be a SURPRISE, that after 7th January '13, Dr. Gonzi in the name of the PN would , with a broad smile, announce at some Party Activity that thanks to the 'EFFICIENCY' of the New Power Station Extension, now operating at full steam...>
'' WE SHALL BE ABLE TO LOWER THE WATER & ELECTRICITY CHARGE FOR ALL , as soon as we are returned to 'GOVERN' OUR BELOVED COUNTRY! '' .
M. Bezzina
Dec 22nd 2012, 08:33
Its Obviousl that we have saved €1 million ......unservicable most of the times what do u expect!!!
Edward Mallia
Dec 22nd 2012, 07:35
Re the NOx reductions, somebody reported yesterday that the Extension was emitting yellow clouds, as it has done a number of times. Can Enemalta, Mepa, local councils of Birzebbugia/Marsaxlokk, the MEPA emissions troika, say anything on this? The local councils were particularly active in roping in support for their case a year ago. Why have they now lapsed into complete silence?
Joseph Mifsud
Dec 22nd 2012, 07:22
How much more would have been saved if it was burning gas ? How much more would I have saved if the government gave me 75% on the whole of my PV installation like other governments in the EU give their citizens from EU funds ?
Ronnie Callus
Dec 22nd 2012, 01:22
How come that the savings are not distributed on the consumers by lowering their unit charge ????
Pierre Fenech
Dec 22nd 2012, 01:19
Ok great so we should wait for a reduction in tarrifs before election given enemalta is saving so much no?
Jimmy Ventura
Dec 21st 2012, 23:52
Fl-istess hin li qed jghidulna kemm iffrankajna flus lil EU qalulhom li il-kontijiet tad-dawl se joghew. Kompli tmejjel bina Dr Gonzi; minghalik.
anthony brincat
Dec 21st 2012, 23:28
thank god the bills they are comming cheaper promise mr prim gonzi and what about the gas thanks god it not cold isit going to come cheaper too
andrew falzon
Dec 21st 2012, 22:15
Xi iridu jghidu biha li iffrankaww miljun ewro? Ma x` hiex qed iqabblu? Mal powerstation tal marsa li kellha xi sittin sena u kellha teknologija qadima u inefficjenti jew ma powerstation simili li tithaddem bil gass? F`itervista ma CEO ta kumpanija portugiza ta l- energija dan staqsewh ghalfejn l- impjanti taghhom jahdmu kollha bil gass, ir-risposta kienet ghax hum l- irhas biex tixtri u topera.
Anthony Pace Gouder
Dec 21st 2012, 22:12
From this 'saving' Ene-malta has to deduct the expenditure . still unknown, to dispose of the NUMBER of Special Purpose Containers of TOXIC WASTE produce estimated at 10 Containers PER WEEK !
I trust that these are being transported to the Free-port awaiting shipment to a still unknown dumping site in some other countryand hopefully will not end up at the bottom of the mediterranean Sea!
JG. Briffa
Dec 21st 2012, 21:12
jien tghidx kemm frankajt ghax ilnha sieghat bla dawl
Ronnie Callus
Dec 22nd 2012, 01:12
Proset Sur.Briffa, anke ahna hawn tas-Sliema tghidtx kemm ilna nifrankaw bil-qtuh li qed ikollna. Proset Dr.Austin Gatt.
Alex Buds
Dec 21st 2012, 20:09
"24,000 MW every week" doesn't make sense technically. Power measurements are instantaneous measurements, not cumulative over time.
Edward Mallia
Dec 22nd 2012, 00:00
A common reporting deficiency not to be generally attributed to Enemalta with its many faults. But Enemalta engineers did assertl that the Extension was to run for 24hrs a day for 240 days during the testing period, far worse than confusing MegaWatts with MegaWatt hours as it was a deliberate falsehood. Now we suddenly find that we have been saving money, just in time for Christmas.
E. Mifsud
Dec 21st 2012, 19:46
You see, PL supporters were given a break; they have something to grumble about. Attenti ghas-sabutaggi!
David Magro
Dec 21st 2012, 20:08
What do you comment on this evening power cuts in most of the localities in Malta...are they subotage or the inificency of GonziPN?
carlos ellul
Dec 21st 2012, 20:28
Everything is labelled a sabotagg these days. Arriva, the powerstation, gonzipn inability in having the budget approved etc,
P Sciberras
Dec 21st 2012, 20:36
Sewwa qeighed Mr Mifsud. Dawn huma l-istess nies l kienu jaghmlu s-sabutaggi fit tmenijiet., dik il habta, pero kellek il kontijiet kwazi bxejn U kellek ukoll l-ewwl 200 unit bxejn.Tiftakar jew le.
Anthony Dimech
Dec 21st 2012, 22:45
I think today's powercut was to scare us into believing that it's really the start of the end of the world.
Jesmond Farrugia
Dec 21st 2012, 19:33
And this evening we saved another million while we were in the dark!!
twanny borg
Dec 21st 2012, 19:31
Li jinkwetani kull meta jkun gej il-milied, festi, world cup jew xi haga importanti jinqata d-dawl. Nixtieq inkun naf jekk isirux investigazzjonijiet serji li d-dawl jinqata mhux minhabba xi sabutagg.
Anthony J. Camilleri
Dec 21st 2012, 19:29
Joe Mizzi has been proven right for the umpteenth time when he warned that the trouble with the new power extention is not over.
George Cremona
Dec 21st 2012, 22:24
With all these wise men in his fold there can't be any doubt that the PL has the solution for the utility bills issue. Yet it's a pity that it has lost one of his wisest men just yesterday.
Charles Massa
Dec 21st 2012, 19:14
Tajjeb mela kellhu ragun Dr Muscat li kontijiet ta dawl u ilma jorhsu!!!!!! Buzzieqa ohra ta GONZI li infaqet
anthony sultana
Dec 21st 2012, 19:08
Good so you can decreace the power bills.
Peter Murray
Dec 21st 2012, 19:07
If you add up all the money saved (or rather REVENUE LOST) this year alone due to the myriad of power cuts it would add up to a pretty penny!
Pule' Carmel
Dec 21st 2012, 19:01
Would the fluctuating torque in a diesel powered generator ( with limited pistons)have any effect when paralleled to one turbine generator with a continuous torque, due to so many blades in its rotors?
vincent Lia
Dec 21st 2012, 19:43
Ask a stupid question and if you are lucky you may get a stupid answer.
Pule' Carmel
Dec 21st 2012, 19:59
Please explain why it is a stupid question!
Jean Paul Micallef
Dec 21st 2012, 21:24
Interesting...whats your answer..
Joseph Borg
Dec 21st 2012, 22:10
It is not a stupid question but you know the answer as you are a professional engineer. I feel these type of questions are out of context here.
Pule' Carmel
Dec 21st 2012, 23:59
Turbines have many blades and the torque gererated is constant throughout each revolution. A diesel engine is not, especially if it has only one cylinder! thus its rotor will hunt/fluctuate about the constant speed rotor of the turbine. Many systems do not like this phenomenon. Engineers must think about this as when using an angled universal joint as this too is not a constant speed output.
vincent Lia
Dec 22nd 2012, 11:17
Electrical generation is sourced from many different types of engines and I would assume the engineers that couple all these sources to form one grid know how to overcome problems like phase matching and cycles per second. PV panels have no pistons, no torque and the electricity is sourced in DC yet it can be modified to match that on the grid and coupled on to it.
Pule' Carmel
Dec 22nd 2012, 13:51
If one changes DC to Ac through a convertor whose sampling frequency is running at about 14kilohertz, it is much smoother in achieving a constant frequency than having a diesel with a few cylinders, even if one had a very large flywheel on the shaft to smooth out the undulations on the speed of the shaft. I assure you it is not an easy problem on harmonic generation!.
Pule' Carmel
Dec 22nd 2012, 17:20
Joseph Borg. The New extension at Delimara is a diesel system coupled to Turbines so the design had to consider what I suggested. I included this so that people will appreciate the depth that design engineers have to consider and people who call these stupid questions do not realise the depth it involved.
David John
Dec 21st 2012, 18:50
Enemalta & Gonzi PN. How did it save the 1Mil Euro? By switching all gozo to dark this evening? Shame on you people.
Joseph John Zammit
Dec 21st 2012, 19:09
Really shameful pulling out this statement when a good chunk of Malta is in the dark! And by the way, how many millions were lost because of the delays??
Chris Xuereb
Dec 21st 2012, 18:43
I think they blew the cover off Muscat's top secret baby?
pat muscat
Dec 21st 2012, 18:39
One million and one euro saved till 6.15pm : at St Paul's without electricity. GonziPN :a system that has failed us
j brincat
Dec 21st 2012, 18:21
Meanwhile some of the northern parts of Malta are in pitch darkness on Xmas nights!
Is this part of the failed energy policy by Toppled GonziPN?
(jb)
H. Psaila
Dec 21st 2012, 22:24
Why are you grumbling, in the 80's we used to stay days without power and water.
Darren Attard Bonnici
Dec 24th 2012, 03:22
but we are not in the 80s hanini ...
j brincat
Dec 21st 2012, 18:19
Veru????
What about a good reduction in our W & E bills, then?
(jb)
Mark Mifsud
Dec 21st 2012, 18:41
Don't Panic JB! I think you need some help here.... "After a week of continuous operation,...."
Ilek tistenna 25 years... stenna daqxejn ohra issa
Joseph Borg
Dec 21st 2012, 18:18
This government has great skills when playing with numbers, making us think that everything is fine. Fortuntely for us, this government has invested extensively in education, so folling the educated folk is more difficult.
The problem with this article is that there is a comparison with the Marsa plant, that is old, mostly second hand and that the eu has warned us about its hazards many times.
Joseph Borg
Dec 21st 2012, 21:27
If they want to impress us, they should clearly state the emmissions in ABSOLUTE terms, and then maybe compare to other power plants in europe
Alfred Grech
Dec 21st 2012, 18:17
... and to celebrate it all, we had a 45 minute black out...
Mario Camenzuli
Dec 21st 2012, 18:17
Swatar and San Gwann without electricity also ! Happy Xmas everyone !
Edward Mallia
Dec 21st 2012, 18:16
Most of Attard is also cut off. Local pharmacies have had to close early.
SPiru Attard
Dec 21st 2012, 18:09
Well done for the great project...no electricity again
stephen debono
Dec 21st 2012, 18:04
@ daniel borg
Rabat without electricity tonight, second time in a week, prosit u viva il bwsc!!!
H. Psaila
Dec 22nd 2012, 07:30
I dont think you were born or perhaps you want to forget the past when we stayed weeks without water and power.
Did the Labour party ever thought to build a new power station? It never crossed their mind did it?
Darren Attard Bonnici
Dec 24th 2012, 03:24
omg ... go study some history mr Psaila .. search youtube mintoff power station debate ... and so you compare 2012 with the 80s? .. how old are you 12?
Edward Mallia
Dec 21st 2012, 17:58
Enemalta: this is no 'news' at all. That is why at the IPPC permit hearing we pointed out that the KPMG conclusion that use of GASOIL was going to add 10.2% to electricity bills was wrong. The higher price of gasoil was more than cancelled by the increased efficiency. Using cheaper HFO was going to save much more.even if pollution abatement was costlier than for gasoil. But no cuts just yet.
Daniel Borg
Dec 21st 2012, 17:55
No wonder, we're saving! What a progress! Congrats Gonzi PN!
Charlie Formosa
Dec 21st 2012, 17:55
And Qawra without electricity, I think the government is "made in china " style!!! Laqwa li jider sabih li 1 m euros less!! U dahaqniex gonzi
Adrian Farrugia
Dec 21st 2012, 17:55
Yellowish smoke is going out from the new chimneys. Can someone or Minister T. Fenech tell me what type of pollution are the Marsaxlokk residents inhaling now?
Edward Mallia
Dec 21st 2012, 18:14
The abatement equipment for NOx is not working properly if yellow smoke is coming out of the chimneys. The urea supply has probably slipped. This has happened before. No one knows what Marsaxlokk residents are inhaling as Marsaxlokk and B'Bugia have NEVER informed anybody what the equipment in their offices is measuring. & no one knows why their rep on the MEPA troika has remained dumb.
Jo Camm
Dec 21st 2012, 17:53
They said there is electricity in the south of Malta.
Mr raynond ciancio
Dec 21st 2012, 17:53
oh brilliant news, the price of producing electric has gone down already which i hope will reduce our bills drastically, if labour goes in power, they claim to have ways and means of reducing the electric again, so practically electric rates are gonna be for nothing soon. let's hope we are not disappointed and that this carries on after the election and not find some hiccup soon after the election
C Muscat
Dec 22nd 2012, 08:52
Vote PL for this reduction and for some fresh air after 25years about time.
Alex Gobey
Dec 21st 2012, 17:52
Blackout in rabat! Is this how we are saving our millions?
Tony Borg
Dec 21st 2012, 17:51
and i bet that it had to do with the old dellimara and not the new part
Robert Cassar
Dec 21st 2012, 17:49
Whole Malta with NO electricity... And no news about it??
Konrad Scicluna
Dec 21st 2012, 17:45
And all Gozo is without electricity! How's that for efficiency?
effie stafrace
Dec 21st 2012, 17:41
we do not have electricity in naxxar.its irrelevant that €1 million saved in
fuel costs
Victor Calleja
Dec 21st 2012, 17:40
By the time we pay the old Delimara power station the diesel engines of the new power plant will be exhausted and need a re bore.
M Cutajar
Dec 21st 2012, 17:39
Black out at san gwann. Thank you very much enemalta and the government. Fourth time this week. Lost business for our shop in the most important month of Xmas. This is a shame. Not even in the worst of the 70 and 80' s we were in such a situation.
Simon Bonello
Dec 21st 2012, 17:38
rabat as well totally dark & yesterday a whole day without water !!!!
A Vella
Dec 21st 2012, 17:33
Obvious savings since we are in the dark again in Mellieha !
Tony Borg
Dec 21st 2012, 17:32
And another power cut in Mellieha...how's that for results
A Abela
Dec 21st 2012, 17:27
The end is here no electricity kemm ghamilna savings?
paul falzon
Dec 21st 2012, 17:24
Excellent Results. I think this is an achievement for all the Maltese population , irrispective of the political party they support. More results like this and the PN will earn my vote this time round. Voted PL in the last election but given the geopolitical situation, European Economic Crises, US Fiscal Cliff etc this country is giving astonishing results. Truly well done.
SPiru Attard
Dec 21st 2012, 17:46
No electricity... In Bugibba either... That is what I call progress
paul falzon
Dec 21st 2012, 17:58
Feeble comment Mr. Attard. No system is flawless !
Edward Borg
Dec 21st 2012, 17:04
Prosit fl opijoni tieghi rizultati tajbin hafna
Anthony A. Mifsud
Dec 21st 2012, 16:59
Well, I must say that is some breaking news! I say this with respect to my fellow engineers , if they shut down the turbines they can save 100% that's efficiently better
The whole system is a new never proven HFO power plant.
Lets do a post mortum in 90 days running on 90% load. Then evaluate!
Ninu
Edward Mallia
Dec 21st 2012, 17:45
If you are really an engineer then you would not be saying things like "a new never proven HFO power plant".
There are many small island power stations with the same type of engine. The general habit is to use gas oil rather than HFO but that is not a radical difference. Most large ships use exactly the same type of engine (working at lower speed) with HFO as fuel. Ask the people of Marsalforn.
vincent Lia
Dec 21st 2012, 18:59
If Mr E Mallia is really an engineer maybe he can tell us why there is a power cut everytime that there is some good news about the power station. Why would a cable be left to overload and trip? What are the engineers actually doing, the ones that look at meters and computers, that is, to see that all is well or else take action, like shed some of the load, or divert other supply.
George Farrugia
Dec 21st 2012, 16:57
And there goes the secret for the reduction of the electricity rates being promised... there are ways of makihng savings without cutting on quality or requiring further subsidies. Based on the estimate savings - at 100% efficiency of around Euro 100 million per year, that equates to around Euro 250 for each head in our population. Thus a family of 3 should be savings around Euro 750 annually.
R. Saliba
Dec 21st 2012, 17:27
100% efficiency is a fallacy. The 47% (or thereabouts) is the maximum any plant can achieve.
Mr Matthew Abela
Dec 21st 2012, 17:38
@george farrugia
I think the laws of physics don't apply to you.
Edward Borg
Dec 21st 2012, 16:51
Basta tal PL xebaw jitfaw it tajn sa mill bidu. Miljun f gimgha mhux hazin insubu fejn nuzawom dawk il flus. Ma nohodiex bi kbira jekk il PN irahhas id dawl qbel l elezzjoni wara rizultati hekk tajbin. Xejn xejn tal PL ma jibqawx jeqirdu fuq id dawl u l ilma u forsi nisimaw xi haga gdidi u kostruttiva minghandom.
A Abela
Dec 21st 2012, 16:47
Jistghu jghidluna kemm se jiswa lill poplu ir rimi tal skart tossiku li gie eggenerat minn din il generazzjoni. Fejn se jitqedul containers, minn se johodhom u kemm se jiswina?
Jimmy Abela
Dec 21st 2012, 17:38
Mistoqsijiet siewja hafna. Il-problema hi jekk hux ha jitwiegbu..
Stefan Enge
Dec 21st 2012, 16:42
Unfortunatly the grid frequency fluctuates quite badly so that solar inverters switch off. Hopefully that problem will be solved soon otherwise all the PV panels on our roofs are for nothing....
Jean Paul Micallef
Dec 21st 2012, 21:32
Buy a suitable inverter mate....G83 certified
A. Mizzi
Dec 21st 2012, 16:14
WOW what great savings , about a quarter of the amount spent on COMMISSIONS to paid to the Chap that looked up contractors in the YELLOW PAGES!
R. Saliba
Dec 21st 2012, 17:28
Than the commissions paid are absolutely worth every cent.
Mrs diana cottis
Dec 21st 2012, 16:14
Just think how much could have been saved if the PN had built the new power station when it was first elected all those years ago.
carmel callus
Dec 21st 2012, 16:29
Cottis, I don't know for how long you've been living in Malta, but the facts are that all power stations - both that at Marsa and the Delimara power station - were built by Nationalist-led governments.
R Cauchi
Dec 21st 2012, 16:13
1 Million saved with 47% efficiency thus when it will be 100% it will save 104 million a year. Considering that the cost of the extension is around 165+18 million i think this was a very good investment from the government and should be highly praised for it.
C Falzon
Dec 21st 2012, 16:48
The power station will never operate at 100% efficiency. As a matter of fact no power station anywhere ever did or ever will.
Nevertheless 47% is an extremely good efficiency as far as power stations go and very few power stations around the world exceed or even reach that level.
To put that in perspective, the best car engines today only achieve around 25% and that only at some specific speed.
Edward Mallia
Dec 21st 2012, 17:27
Can you let us lesser mortals know how you reached your conclusions? Is the extension really going to reach 100% efficiency? We must a a Te Deum sung when we reach that happy state.
Edward Mallia
Dec 21st 2012, 17:33
@ C. Falzon
Not really that rare: the best Combined Cycle Gas turbines are now reaching 55-60%. And a good car diesel engine will be closer to 30% than 25%.
twanny borg
Dec 21st 2012, 16:12
il-gvern ippompja 20 miljun biex ma joghlux il-kontijiet is-sena d-diehla.
Neil Dent
Dec 21st 2012, 16:11
That's significant - around €130 per year for each of the population!
Hemm hi is-serjeta!
g t borg
Dec 21st 2012, 16:08
Not a bad shot, after all that we heard from the PL side!!
C Muscat
Dec 21st 2012, 16:06
Joseph Muscat proved right again. Much cheaper production can be achieved. PL will give these to the people; PN will give these to the barunijiet. As simon said the people have only one time to test the ministers; on 9th march we give the PN open cheque; we give JM professional administration.
C. Bartoli
Dec 21st 2012, 16:13
Yes professional administration my foot. Now the news has gone viral after trying so hard to hide it out. Joseph Muscat is not only not trusted by Adrian Vassallo but also by the deputy leader.
Neil Dent
Dec 21st 2012, 17:07
So......you're giving Muscat the credit, after all of his attempts to throw spokes in the wheels of the Delimara project? These huge savings are down to the Nationalist Government's implication of said project, C Muscat, IN SPITE OF Joseph Muscat.
Incredible reasoning. Zero logic.
Neil Dent
Dec 21st 2012, 17:24
*implementation
C Muscat
Dec 21st 2012, 17:35
Neil Dent I am stating what gonzi and muscat said. gonzi said that no money to make the bills cheaper (so the saving goes elsewhere) muscat is stating that the bills will becaome cheaper (here is the money to have cheaper bills).
I have had some bad experience lately...
J Martinelli
Dec 21st 2012, 17:59
@ C Muscat
If the extension saves 52 million (1 mil per wk), there is the Enemalta debt to be taken care of and at 52 million a throw, within a few years it will be paid back.
But Joseph will lower your bills by using the savings, instead, subsidies become higher and the debt remains there forever!
Good, typical Mintoffianomics, especially if Scicluna becomes Joseph's Deputy.
Alfred Grech
Dec 21st 2012, 15:52
1 million saved in one week = 52 million saved in one year. We should see a cut in the rates charged.
Raphael Vassallo
Dec 21st 2012, 15:49
oh very good so when does the price of electricity come down then?
A. Mizzi
Dec 21st 2012, 16:16
we are still paying for the "Old" Delimara Power Station, we only theBWSC extention is paid for !
Jo Camm
Dec 21st 2012, 15:43
Will this mean a reduction in our bills??
Mr Joe Cardona
Dec 21st 2012, 15:38
Mela suppost jorhos id-dawl
Steven Brockwell
Dec 21st 2012, 15:51
that was the PL plan ??????????????
Colin Camilleri
Dec 21st 2012, 15:34
ok point taken. So when can we expect a reduction in electricity bills, since it is now cheaper to produce?
Robert Lewis
Dec 21st 2012, 15:44
First week of March 2013.
Julian Borg
Dec 21st 2012, 15:54
Vote for Joseph Muscat and your bill will magically disappear ..... like an angel in the sky!
Jean Paul Micallef
Dec 21st 2012, 21:30
Wait we need to remove debt first than give you energy at cost. money saved is used to pay for old plant at delimara network cables etc do you sell or work for free? learn to use energy wisely and/or generate your own. otherwise pay..... as Malta has
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