The gas-fired power station, which was originally meant to come on stream a year ago but was delayed, would be completed ahead of schedule and be ready by May, the Energy Ministry said yesterday.

The Labour Party had pledged that the new plant in Delimara would be up and running within two years from the general election but the deadline was not met. The ministry now says work is ahead of the new schedule and, thus, Malta will be able to start generating cleaner energy in summer.

The ministry said that after the construction phase was over, the testing and commissioning processes would start.

“The Malta gas and power project is progressing at a rapid pace. Advanced works are being carried out on power plant development and gas infrastructure. As from this summer, clean energy from gas will be generated in Delimara,” the ministry said.

As a result, it added, there would be a reduction of over 50 per cent in emissions and a 90 per cent drop in particulate matter.

The ministry was reacting to comments by Alternattiva Demokratika leader Arnold Cassola who asked whether the completion date of the new Delimara power station had been pushed back again.

The General Workers’ Union daily l-Orizzont yesterday reported that the ship that will serve as a floating gas storage platform in Marsaxlokk would be ready in the third quarter of this year. However, the ministry insisted that the gas and power project was progressing at a rapid pace. In the meantime, Enemalta has started the process to demolish the oldest part of the Delimara power station. The demolition will include the tallest chimney and the removal of boilers, turbines and other equipment installed in the early 1990s.

The demolition work will start later this year on completion of the works in hand.