Updated 5.22pm - Adds Transport Malta reply
Transport Malta is analysing a maritime risk assessment on the new LNG power plant as studies on the safety aspect continue, the Times of Malta is informed.
Environmental NGOs had cried foul over the missing studies when, in March 2014, the planning authority had given the green light to the project. They argued a permit could not have been issued unless the studies were completed.
The planning watchdog had said that the studies in question would form part of the process connected to the second permit needed for the power plant, the so-called integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC).
Asked on the state of the studies in view of the fact that the government is now saying the new power plant will be fully functional by the middle of next month, a spokeswoman for the Occupational Health and Safety Authority said some of the missing studies were now completed and others were still being carried out by Transport Malta.
Some of the missing studies are now completed and others are still being carried out
“The maritime risk assessment has been submitted to the relevant authorities by the operator,” the spokeswoman said. “This is being evaluated by Transport Malta and it will be taken into consideration in the safety studies being undertaken on behalf of the control of major accident hazards (Comah) competent authority,” she added.
Transport Malta said the studies were still being evaluated. “Comah, through its participating entities, which are the OHSA, the Civil Protection Department, the Planning Authority and the Environment and Resources Authority, together with Transport Malta, are reviewing the works carried out on maritime safety,” a spokesman said.
The maritime risk study was commissioned by Electrogas and was done by the Maritime Research Institute of the Netherlands (Marin). The study has not been published yet and Transport Malta is refusing to hand over a copy to this newspaper.
In a reply, Transport Malta insisted that all Marin studies - which it had no role in conducting - had been completed and were now being evaluated by itself and other regulatory bodies.
The nautical risk assessment, Transport Malta said, formed part of the IPPC permitting process.
A Transport Malta spokesman also argued that the authority could not hand over reports as its only role was to evaluate them. "The authority has no ownership of the said studies," a spokesman said.
It is not yet known when the ERA will be discussing the IPPC issue even though the date mentioned by Minister Without Portfolio Konrad Mizzi (mid-September) when the new power station should be up and running is fast approaching. Sources close to the project indicated this latest target deadline would “most probably be missed”.
Labour had pledged that the new power plant would be up and running by March 2015, however, a delay of more than a year had been announced in Parliament at the end of 2014. Eventually, Dr Mizzi, who at the time was minister for energy, had said the plant would start generating power by June 2016 at the latest. When this target date was missed too, Dr Mizzi came up with a third deadline, saying the plant would be commissioned by the end of summer.
Asked recently to give the latest target date, the Office of the Prime Minster – who has taken over political responsibility after a Cabinet reshuffle earlier this year – said a media event would soon be held to announce new time frames.
The Armada LNG Mediterrana was still docked in Singapore until yesterday.
The jetty and regasification plant at Marsaxlokk port are still in construction phase.
ivan.camilleri@timesofmalta.com