Remote-controlled demolition robots will start demolishing the tall Delimara 1 power station chimney at the end of January. 

Enemalta said it is currently erecting a platform and scaffolding required to pull down the 150-metre chimney.

"In January, remote-controlled demolition robots will gradually start demolishing the chimney’s concrete structure," Enemalta said. 

The remote-controlled demolition robots on top of the platform will demolish the first 1.5 metres of the concrete walls. The platform will then be lowered 1.5 metres for the demolition robots to continue the demolition. This process will be repeated approximately 80 times until the chimney is lowered to 35 metres. At this point, the platform will be dismantled and the remaining part of the stack will be demolished using a high reach demolition excavator from ground level.

Built in 1992, the Delimara 1 plant, included two HFO boilers, two 60MW steam turbines as well as the 150-metre chimney made of reinforced concrete.

The chimney structure comprises a cylindrical concrete shield rising up more than 50 storeys, with a base diameter of 12 metres. The concrete walls are two metres thick at the bottom and 60 centimetres on top. Inside the concrete structure, there are two 2.3 metre steel exhaust pipes that emit the smoke produced by the oil-fired boilers.

The Planning Authority gave the go-ahead for the demolition method in August.