Nationalist MP Franco Debono is expected to raise the Delimara power plant extension issue in Parliament, following the government’s decision to award the contract to a company that will be building a plant that will run on the highly polluting heavy fuel oil.

“I raised the issue internally some months ago, before the European Parliament elections,” said Dr Debono.

Speaking about the infringement proceedings against Malta over the allegations that emissions at the Delimara power plant do not fall within acceptable EU levels, Dr Debono said that if proved, this would mean that the power station has been negatively affecting the environment and, worse still, the health of residents in the Birzebbuga/Marsaxlokk area.

“Considering the small size of the country, the power station affects the whole southern area and beyond. I am not sure what kind of emissions data the government has been providing, and what kind of monitoring is in place,” said Dr Debono.

His message to the government, run by the same party he belongs to, is loud and clear: the government must ensure that the engines used should be the ones that generate the least emissions and the cleanest energy possible using the best technology available.

The area surrounding the Delimara power station has become heavily industrialised; it is enough to simply mention the Freeport, and the gas and fuel depots in Birzebbuga.

“I have been speaking about the direct consequences of the industrialisation of the area: the uncontrolled pollution, the air quality and the health hazards,” said Dr Debono.

But Infrastructure Minister Austin Gatt has repeatedly defended the government’s decision to award the contract for the extension of the Delimara power station to Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor (BWSC), saying this company had made the most advantageous offer.

BWSC had offered its equipment for €164.9 million, while competing company Bateman’s equipment was offered at a €148.7 million price tag.

However, Dr Gatt claims that when the five-year maintenance costs were included, the BWSC bid turned out to be cheaper by about €2 million.

Moreover, when you take everything into account, the cost per unit would be €0.02 cheaper using the BWSC equipment, according to Dr Gatt.

While many, including Dr Debono, have been casting doubts on the use of heavy fuel oil, Dr Gatt has been insisting that the new plant would be well within EU environmental standards, and this, he said, was even confirmed by German experts.

Asked about the cost of generation of electricity, Dr Debono said all factors should be considered, but ultimately it is a question of priorities.

“Is health not a supreme good for society? Are respiratory diseases not a major concern? The price of setting up and generating some alternative energy sources is higher than conventional ones.

“Still, governments the world over have been switching to cleaner energy. They look beyond the economic factors. As with many other things, our country is late in switching to cleaner sources of energy.”