Updated - Adds questions by Labour MP Marlene Farrugia - Prime Minister Joseph Muscat insisted again this evening that he never promised before the election that he would resign if the new power station was not completed within two years.

Speaking in parliament, he said that he had been asked before the election by Engineer Marco Cremona whether he would assume political responsibility if, after the election, no investor was found for the new power station.

But that investor was found more than a year ago, Dr Muscat said.

Furthermore, the people were already enjoying a reduction in tariffs costing €30 million, and, from March, business users would also enjoy their own tariff cuts.

What was ironic, Dr Muscat said, was how parliament was now no longer discussing the sorry state in which Enemalta was left by the former government, or how the tariffs were raised by the former government.

This government was on the way to making Enemalta a motor of the economy. It had introduced transparency in oil procurement after the scandals of the past and it would make the generation of electricity the cleanest it had ever been.

Dr Muscat reacted to criticism that local fuel prices had not gone down even though the international oil price was at its lowest level in years. The Opposition leader, he said, had not taken into account the currency fluctuations. (Later Nationalist MP Tonio Fenech said fluctuations existed in the past as well and hedging was made for that).

LABOUR MP RAISES QUESTIONS

Labour MP Marlene Farrugia said Labour had promised lower tariffs, cleaner energy production and a new gas powered power station within a timeframe.

The people had voted for that package, including the timeframe. The people therefore deserved to know what the contracts with Electrogas and the Chinese involved, if contracts had been signed, and if not, what was planned?

What were the implications for the country, its people and the Enemalta workers?
What were the new timeframes for the gas fired power stations?

What would happen after the power purchase agreement expired five years down the line?

Would Malta be obliged to buy all the electricity which the power stations produced?What would happen if there was surplus supply? Would Malta export electricity, and wouldn't that mean that the Maltese would suffer emissions to produce electricity for others?

What would happen to the commitment for 10 per cent of electricity to be from alternative sources?

What would become of the interconnector?

Would Malta’s credit ratings suffer because of the power station delay?