Marsascala, Maghtab Residents may benefit from electricity rebate

Malta Independent Friday, 6 July 2007, 00:00 Last update: about 12 years ago

The government is strongly considering that residents living in areas close to the Maghtab landfill and the Sant’ Antnin waste treatment facility in Marsascala would benefit from a government subsidy on the surcharge on their electricity bills, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino announced yesterday.

Speaking to MEPs from the European People’s Party and European Democrats (EPP-ED) who toured the Maghtab Landfill Rehabilitation Project, Mr Pullicino said the government wanted to give something back to residents who have been burdened with the negative effects of Maghtab and Sant’ Antnin for a number of years.

A decision still needs to be taken as regards which residents will benefit from the subsidy and the exact subsidy that will be offered. Minister Pullicino said the government plans to announce the details of this decision in the forthcoming weeks.

This rebate will be possible as an indirect result of the fact that electricity will be generated from methane extracted from engineered landfills. Mr Pullicino said he hoped the generation of electricity from gas extracted from Ta’ Zwejra and l-Ghallis will begin later this year.

Mr Pullicino said only small quantities of methane will result from gas extraction from Maghtab. The remainder of the gases will be burned at very high temperatures to kill off obnoxious gases.

Referring to the first network of steel wells that were installed about two months ago as a pilot project, the minister said the results of gases extracted are positive, but he stopped short of giving further details for the time being, since results were still being analysed.

As for the project for the development of a family park at the Maghtab landfill, Mr Pullicino told MEPs that the government plans to make use of funding from the EUR855 million (Lm367 million) in structural funds that the country has managed to obtain. The project is estimated to cost about EUR30 million (Lm12.9 million).

Minister Pullicino also announced yesterday that the government is planning a way of shifting the entrance to the Maghtab landfill to the area on the coast road. This is intended as a means of further reducing the negative impact of the landfill on residents. The coast road will be realigned for the entrance to be repositioned.

MEPs on tour to Maghtab yesterday also visited the civic amenity, which is the second one that has so far been opened. The third, in Hal Far, will open at the end of this month, said the minister.