The Labour Party’s energy proposals, which include decreasing the price of gas-fuelled electricity and achieving its goals within two years, are “overambitious”, according to Alternattiva Demokratika.
“Labour is being too optimistic with the price of gas and on time frames.
“International trends show that the price of gas is likely to increase due to the increase in global demand and limited supply,” AD chairman Michael Briguglio said.
Labour is proposing a 10-year agreement with a private operator to buy electricity, generated by gas, at fixed prices.
AD believes such promises cannot be made, given the international realities.
Dr Briguglio said Labour was also being “very ambitious” with its proposed time frames. It is saying it will build a new power station running on gas and a gas-holding facility and commission them within 23 months.
The reality was that tendering complications would arise, he said. Such delays cropped up during a simple local council tender for waste collection, let alone such a large-scale national project.
Carrying out a proper environmental impact assessment, which covered the impacts of construction, emissions and traffic, took time, as did the tendering process that included rights to appeal.
He stressed that AD welcomed some of Labour’s proposals, particularly introducing the polluter-pays principle, having an energy mix and moving from heavy fuel oil to gas.
He said both the PL and the PN were sidelining the issue of water, which he called the “elephant in the room”.
Water stolen from illegal boreholes was being tackled too slowly and there was the risk Malta would become dependent on reverse osmosis – which would drive up the price.
He called on the PL to publish its technical reports, which would show its proposals to reduce prices were legitimate and credible.
AD energy spokesman Ralph Cassar gave a taster of his party’s energy proposals, which will be elaborated upon at a later stage.
He said they would be based on social justice and efficiency with particular emphasis on clean and renewable energy.
AD will officially launch its election campaign tomorrow morning, he said.