Harmful emissions from Delimara’s power station extension are only exceeding permitted levels because measuring software has not yet been calibrated to match EU rules, according to Enemalta.
A National Audit Office report found last week that all four of the plant’s stacks had emitted more nitrogen oxide (NOx) than maximum thresholds at some point during the plant’s first three months of operation.
But EU rules allow for emissions generated when engines are fired up to be deducted from calculated totals, something that has yet to happen, Enemalta argued.
The company was currently talking with plant manufacturer BWSC to make the necessary changes to emissions monitoring software, an Enemalta spokeswoman said.
“This deduction of start-up emissions is applicable to all types of combustion plants... operating throughout the EU,” she said.
When such start-up emissions were factored out of totals, NOx emissions very rarely overran stipulated totals, the spokeswoman argued.
She said even in these cases, Enemalta had ensured that plant manufacturer BWSC had either repaired or modified the necessary parts to fix the problem.
The Malta Environment and Planning Authority, which is responsible for monitoring emissions and levying fines of up to €500 a day for any breaches, argued along similar lines.
“The process of determining start-up and shutdown for the diesel engines is under way, and Mepa will evaluate emissions data further once this process has been concluded,” a Mepa spokesman explained.
Earlier this week, Times of Malta revealed that the power station extension’s pollution control permit laid out a €500 daily fine for any emissions breach.
No fines have been levied yet, with Mepa saying it must wait for start-up and shutdown parameters for the diesel engines to be established before it can correctly evaluate emissions data.
“Mepa is actively monitoring emissions and other data from the plant, however, as the facts are still being established, at present a situation of noncompliance cannot be confirmed,” the spokesman added.