Enemalta is still buying most of Malta’s necessary electricity through the interconnector to Sicily despite the €400-million gas-fired power station that opened in April, figures show.

Enemalta refused to provide a breakdown of the electricity generated through its various components, citing commercial sensitivity.

However, data obtained by the Times of Malta indicates that, in the first 23 days after the inauguration of the Electrogas plant, known as Delimara 4, Enemalta procured most of its energy needs from Sicily via the interconnector.

An analysis of the available data shows that, despite being able to generate 215 MW, the new power plant has never been used to its full capacity since it started operating on April 24.

In fact, the energy generated through the new gas-fired turbines seems to have been kept at a low level, normally under 100 MW – or less than half the capacity.

On the other hand, on most days, the 200MW interconnector continued to be used to its full capacity, mainly because the electricity imported from the continent is much cheaper, compared to gas-generated power.

The balance came from electricity generated by the BWSC power plant, which is now also gas-fired.

The data shows that on one occasion, May 16, the gas power station was switched off for some hours due to a technical failure. To compensate for the shortfall, the electricity supply from the interconnector was increased to 183 MW, and the diesel engine plant, Delimara 2, was used after days on stand-by.

Enemalta officials told this newspaper that although the Electrogas power station was the most economical plant due to its turbines’ efficiency, the company had realised it was still cheaper to buy electricity through the interconnector.

“Although the government originally planned to use the interconnector for just 20 per cent of the country’s power needs once the new Electrogas power plant came on stream, the plan has already been abandoned, as it became obvious that interconnector energy is much cheaper,” the officials said.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat promised before the 2013 election that a new gas power plant would be up and running by March 2015. Cheaper tariffs were introduced in March 2014, but the new power plant was only able to start producing energy last April, more than two years later.

The government entered into an 18-year power purchase supply agreement with Electrogas. Details on how much Enemalta would pay for the electricity generated by the new plant had been removed when a copy of the contract was tabled in Parliament.

The interconnector vs Electrogas

ivan.camilleri@timesofmalta.com