A deal that will see Enemalta buy electricity and gas from a private consortium was signed last Friday away from the media glare.

The press was not invited to cover the event sealing a year-long process that will lead to the construction of a gas-fired power station and related infrastructure.

It is unclear why the government chose not to call in the press when every step of the process was open to scrutiny, including the opening of boxes with the bids last year.

According to the terms laid out in the bidding process, Enemalta is bound to buy all electricity produced by the new plant. The winning bid was that of Electrogas, a consortium with Maltese, German, Azeri and British interests.

The price will be fixed for five years

The State energy company will also buy natural gas for use in its newest plant, the BWSC power station.

Electrogas was to buy the Enemalta subsidiary Malta Power and Gas, the company set up last year to initiate the planning process and related environmental studies.

The agreement should be for 18 years and the price at which Enemalta will buy electricity will be fixed for five.

The project was an electoral pledge to deliver cheaper utility rates and cleaner air – natural gas is a much cleaner alternative to heavy fuel oil.

A building permit for the project was approved in March after a marathon planning authority meeting during which concerns were raised by some over the location of the gas storage ship that will be moored below the Delimara cliff face.

Although construction work can start, the planning authority will have to approve an environment permit, known as IPPC, for the power station to start operating.

Originally, the infrastructure was slated to be completed in 18 months and in comments to this newspaper last week, Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi said the project was moving ahead according to plan.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com