Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi failed to give a new deadline for the completion of the gas power station project at the end of an animated parliamentary debate.

Dr Mizzi told Parliament yesterday that a timeline for the project would be given when Enemalta, Shanghai Electric Power and Electrogas agreed on “a master schedule”.

He insisted the postponement was “a matter of months” and the project to be built by Electrogas would still be completed within 18 months.

Opposition deputy leader Mario de Marco insisted that the country was none the wiser as to when the promised gas plant would be ready.

The new power station and gas-related infrastructure had to be completed by March next year but the government was forced to admit two weeks ago the deadline would be missed after no tangible works were visible at Delimara.

Project timeline will be given when Enemalta, Shanghai Electric Power and Electrogas agree a master schedule

The Opposition called for a debate demanding a clear deadline for completion and an explanation on how the promised electricity cuts for industry would be financed next year.

Similar questions were put to the minister by government backbencher Marlene Pullicino, who sought clarity on the energy plan “people voted for at the last election”. She eventually toed the party line.

The Labour Party’s pre-electoral pledge had tied the reduction in tariffs – for households in 2014 and businesses in 2015 – to the completion of the gas project.

However, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said two weeks ago that lower bills were not dependent on the project being completed by March.

Dr Mizzi yesterday insisted that Enemalta had no obligation to buy electricity from the BWSC plant that will be taken over by the Chinese firm and converted to gas.

The company has already entered into a deal with Electrogas to buy all the electricity that the new power station will produce and the price would be fixed for the first five years.

The Opposition’s motion was defeated when an amendment presented by Dr Mizzi was approved by 35 votes against 29 at the end of a long sitting that saw various speakers from both sides arguing their respective cases.

To resign or not to resign?

Parliament played to the tune of the 1982 hit song Should I stay or should I go yesterday as barbs were traded over government’s energy plans.

Taking the floor first, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil repeatedly accused Prime Minister Joseph Muscat of lying to the people when he insisted the gas power station project was on track.

He accused the Prime Minister of long knowing the power station would not be ready by the self-imposed March deadline.

“You took people for a ride because you did not have the courage to admit the project was not on track,” Dr Busuttil said.

He then urged the Prime Minister to stick to his word and resign.

Dr Muscat said contrary to the Opposition leader’s wish for him to resign, he did not want Dr Busuttil to go.

He insisted his pre-electoral pledge to resign was never tied to the completion of the gas power station in two years. Quoting from a transcript of the electoral activity when he had made the pledge, Dr Muscat said that the promise was linked to a question put to him by engineer Marco Cremona on who would shoulder responsibility if companies did not invest in the Labour Party’s energy plan.

“I would have resigned had no investor turned up more than a year ago in response to the expression of interest… but we had more than 11 interested investors,” Dr Muscat said.

‘Hear me out, Georgie…’

The police are investigating a solar energy contract awarded on the eve of the election that paid a feed-in tariff higher than the market price.

Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi yesterday accused his Opposition counterpart George Pullicino of entering into the unfavourable deal with a private company when he was the minister.

Dr Mizzi said an audit investigation into the contract found various irregularities, including a letter signed by a bank that was presented during the adjudication process as proof of the company’s financial strength.

“When we checked with the bank it told us it was impossible for such a document to have been issued by them,” Dr Mizzi said, amid protestations from Mr Pullicino. The reference letter by a Spanish bank was later released by the government.

At the top of his voice Dr Mizzi said: “Hear me out, Georgie… why did you award this contract, George?”

Visibly shaken, Mr Pullicino denied any wrongdoing, insisting that he was cleaner than all the government MPs put together. He also asked the Speaker to deliver a ruling on the accusations, which would be given in another sitting.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com