Enemalta fines for the operation of Marsa Power Station have reached around €2.5 million, according to the Energy Ministry.
Enemalta has already paid a €50,000 lump sum for each of the four plants, all of which have exceeded the 20,000-hour limit of operation imposed. The utility corporation is now in discussion with Mepa over the daily fines accumulating.
The limits were reached between 2011 and 2012. Since then, two of the plants have been decommissioned but the remaining two cannot be turned off until the interconnector with Sicily is put into action.
Enemalta was given a 20,000-hour derogation by the European Commission as from January 2008, as it was operating at higher emission limits than those allowed in the EU’s Large Combustion Plant Directive directive. The Commission opened an infringement procedure against Malta in 2012 concerning its failure to fulfil its obligations under the directive by allowing the plants to exceed this limit. A letter of formal notice was issued in February 2012, followed by a reasoned opinion in June 2012.
The European Commission office in Malta said that it would monitor the situation to ensure that the necessary works leading to the completion of the interconnector and the subsequent taking out of service of the two remaining combustion units was carried out within the shortest time possible.
“The Commission has also been informed that the Maltese authorities decided to issue penalties to the operator Enemalta. It is understood that these penalties will continue to be levied until the combustion plants in question are taken out of service,” a spokesman said.
A spokesman for Enemalta said that the corporation and Mepa were “discussing” the daily fines.
“This is being done with a view to concluding this matter ahead of the eventual decommissioning of the Marsa Power Station, as soon as the necessary alternative capacity is made available,” he said.
Enemalta is committed to stop the use of its older power plants at Marsa and Delimara as soon as possible and to fully implement its plans to shift the country’s electricity generation mix to one that is more sustainable, eco-friendly and efficient
“Enemalta is committed to stop the use of its older power plants at Marsa and Delimara as soon as possible and to fully implement its plans to shift the country’s electricity generation mix to one that is more sustainable, eco-friendly and efficient.”
When the fines were originally applied by Mepa, it was envisaged that the daily fine of €428 per plant would only apply until October 2013, anticipating that the interconnector would have been in place by then. Beyond that date, the fine was to rise to €857 per plant per day for a further 12 months.
In calculating the penalties, Mepa was guided by the general principles established by the European Commission for requesting the Court of Justice to impose lump sum and penalty payments in infringement proceedings.
All the funds collected from these penalties are being directed into the Environment Fund. This fund was established under the 2010 Environment and Development Planning Act to finance environment projects, programmes and schemes.