Enemalta and Mepa have published the Project description Statement for the new Delimara gas power station and the liquefied natural gas receiving, storage and regasification facilities.

The Statement says that the LNG Plant may be situated on a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) to be moored adjacent to or close to the Delimara Power Station . However, as an alternative, Enemalta may allow an LNG Plant to be constructed onshore.

Alternatively a hybrid solution may be sought, with a Floating Storage Unit (FSU) offshore and regasification onshore.

The FSRU or FSU may be a new-build or a conversion of an existing LNG tanker.

The combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT - the power station) shall be located in close proximity to the LNG Plant. The successful bidder will be required to consider options for enhancing the cooling of power generators on site by use of the cooling effect of the LNG regasification process.

Total construction time for the CCGT and the LNG Plant is not expected to exceed 18 months and the target date for both facilities to be fully commissioned and put into commercial operation is April 2015.

The CCGT plant is to operate in parallel with other installed electricity generating units at the power stations in accordance with the prevailing Network Code issued by Enemalta.

The CCGT and LNG plants shall be configured and arranged so as to fit into the land or sea area available. Land reclamation may be required in certain areas to enable the construction of the LNG terminal.

FUEL CONSIDERATIONS

All fuel to be consumed by the CCGT Plant will be supplied through the LNG Plant. The statement says the CCGT Plant shall operate at base load. As such it is assumed that the new CCGT Plant may consume up to 1,467MMBTU (~44,459 m3) of natural gas per hour at steady state operation.

A maximum daily capacity of up to 35,212 MMBTU (~1,067,025 m3) may be assumed. The actual amounts are dependent on air pressure, temperature and humidity.

In addition to this gas will be supplied to Delimara 3 by the LNG Plant. At base load this would consume up to 1,089MMBTU (~33,086m3) of natural gas per hour. This would equate to a maximum daily capacity of 26,204MMBTU (~794,065 m3) over a 24 hour period.

In reality, the report says, it is unlikely that Delimara 3 (The converted BWSC power station)  and the new CCGT will both operate at base load for any significant period of time. In fact Delimara 3 is expected to have a utilisation rate of less than 50%, resulting in an average daily natural gas consumption of less than 13,102MMBTU (~397,033m3). This means that the expected average daily natural gas consumption would be up to about 48,314MMBTU (~1,464,058m3). This equates to approximately 2,440m3of LNG per day.

The Statement makes various provisions on health and safety as well as the environment.

It says the plant has to be sited at the least environmentally inconvenient area. Although pollution control measures will be featured in the plant, and although mitigating measures will be taken to further ensure this, the site selected should not prejudice areas which are yet unspoiled by industrial development or are established touristic zones.

SITING OF LNG FACILITIES

Three options have been identified for the LNG facilities, the report says.

1. On‐shore Regasification and Storage at Area B – situated in front of and below the existing fuel tanks on the shore.

2. Floating Regasification and Storage Unit (FSRU); to be moored at a new jetty at area B.

3. Floating Storage Unit (FSU); to be moored at a new jetty at area B, with re‐gasification equipment ashore.

All options would require additional works at sea such as construction of a jetty, dolphin, and so on. It may also be necessary to reclaim some land close to area B, the report says.

See full statement on pdf below.

Attached files

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