Adds PN, government's reaction - The Labour Party insisted today that the government should assume political responsibility for the fact that the two power stations had exceeded the sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emission levels set by the EU.
Environment spokesman Leo Brincat and Energy spokesman Joe Mizzi said the EU's national emissions ceiling directive had been breached even though the government had boasted that it was using fuel with less sulphur content.
It was insulting, the spokesmen said, that instead of shouldering its responsibilities, the government had only said that the issue would be solved once the power station was extended and Marsa power station was closed.
The government said yesterday that the closure of the Marsa power station and the commissioning of the power cable link to the European grid would mean that Malta would have cleaner energy. It said that the emission standards of the power station extension would be the same as in Germany.
The spokesman said that while the power station extension was highly controversial, the people expected immediate action to resolve the current problem rather than indifference on an issue which had health implications.
PN SAYS LABOUR OPPOSES CLEAN AIR INITIATIVES
The Nationalist Party in a reaction said the Labour Party had a history of opposing initiatives which reduced air pollution.
It noted that the PL was opposing the extension of the power station. It had opposed the modernisation of the waste treatment plant which also generated electricity, it had cautioned farmers against the setting up of wind farms near by, it had ridiculed the granting of energy saving lamps by the government, it had resisted the building of the waste transfer station in Xewkija and, were it for Labour, the Maghtab landfill would still be open.
GOVERNMENT COMMITTED TOWARDS CLEANER AIR
The government said that the government would be closing the Marsa plant which was a major source of pollution and invest in an extension to the Delimara plant, which would be working in line with the best European standards and an interconnector with Sicily.
Contrary to the impression the opposition tried to give, the government had also taken several initiatives to reduce emissions.
These included changing the fuel oil used at the power station to one containing 0.7 per cent of sulphur, against that used some years ago which had 3.5 per cent sulphur. Low NOx burners which reduced NOx emissions were installed, the combined cycle was being operated by steam injection and this year Enemalta was to continue working on the use of fuel combustion additives and other secondary measures which continued to reduce emissions.