Malta cannot meet its emissions targets unless it makes “extensive” use of the Malta-Sicily interconnector, according to an Environmental Impact Assessment carried out on the planned gas-fired power station in Delimara.
Meeting the targets also depends on electricity demand staying stable until 2020 and using the new gas-fired units, with the present gasoil-fired units being retained only for emergency backup.
According to the government’s plans, however, only 25 per cent of the electricity capacity of the expensive interconnector commissioned by the previous administration will be used.
The environmental assessment, now in its third draft, was submitted to the Malta Environment and Planning Authority on December 20 and was made public by Mepa yesterday as part of the public consultation which closes on January 24.
The proposed power plant consists of a combined cycle gas turbine made up of four separate units – three gas turbines and a steam turbine – which will be fuelled with natural gas and have a capacity of 215 megawatts. The gas will be stored in liquid form at -162 degrees Celsius in a floating storage unit.
Electricity demand must also stay stable until 2020
There will be three 75-metre stacks and another three measuring 30 metres which will be used whenever the steam turbine is out of action.
It is envisaged that this turbine will not be used in the first six months of operation.
The power plant, a major plank of Labour’s electoral campaign with a pledge to reduce tariffs by 25 per cent by March, will be operated by Electro Gas Malta, which will invest some €370 million.
This consortium is partly owned by Gem Holdings, a joint company between the Gasan and Tumas Groups, which holds a 30 per cent shareholding.
The other shareholders are Siemens, the commodities trading arm of Azerbaijan’s State energy firm Socar, and UK company Gasol.
The EIA was carried out by consultants commissioned by the government as part of the planning process and looked at the impacts on the surrounding areas, the geology, the marine ecology and the impact on the health of Marsaxlokk residents and those of surrounding villages.
From a health point of view, the assessment concluded that the switch from heavy fuel oil to natural gas would result in overall positive impacts, adding that this would be further enhanced by the closure of the Marsa power station.
It said that despite “a small increase” in noise pollution during and after the construction phase, this is expected to be minimal and mostly influencing immediate neighbours, “without major negative health impacts”.
Social impacts were also expected to be positive, “mainly because people’s perception about the plant will improve what they consider to be a current negative experience, epitomised by the large chimney, due also for removal”.
The EIA also included two risk assessments to test the viability from the perspective of security of supply and safety.
The first assessment examined the viability of an onshore LNG terminal and the second option of a terminal berthed close to shore.
It was concluded that while all options were viable, the floating terminals had some advantages over the other.