Enemalta is dismantling parts of the Marsa Power Station that have been decommissioned earlier this year.
At the beginning of the year, in accordance to policy direction given by the Energy Ministry, Enemalta began planning the decommissioning and dismantling of this station, which dates back to 1953. A few weeks ago, the company decommissioned the older parts of the station, including a number of boilers, turbines, chimneys and fuel tanks and immediately coordinated the necessary works to dismantle them. Some of the decommissioned units were still in use until last year.
Enemalta employees are coordinating and carrying out most of the dismantling operations. Works that require skills and equipment that the Company does not have will be contracted to third parties. In fact, a call for offers for the dismantling of three of the chimneys and several HFO tanks was issued two weeks ago.
The company is currently clearing part of the power station site to provide safe access for the dismantling of the tanks and chimneys. These works includes the demolition of several air intake shafts, disused stores and other structures. They are expected to be ready in the coming weeks. The dismantling of the power station will continue in several stages.
During a visit to the site, Enemalta Executive Chairman Ing. Fredrick Azzopardi thanked the team of employees working on this project and praised their efforts to complete these tasks without disrupting nearby areas or affecting the sections of the power station still in use. "This is a very important development for Enemalta as we implement our plan to transform the country's generation mix to one based on cleaner and more efficient sources of energy. The works we are witnessing today are the beginning of a process that will lead to the full regeneration of this important location within the Grand Harbour," he explained.
Road closures similar to the one at Belt il-Ħażna Road on Tuesday afternoon are being enforced for short periods of time to ensure the safety of drivers and pedestrians. The same road will be closed to traffic again on Saturday 2 November, between 7am and 1pm, to continue the demolition of structures in adjacent areas.
Photos Albert de Marco, Enemalta