The Nationalist Party today once again appealed for all contracts and negotiations signed by the government with Shanghai Electric should be made public immediately.
Addressing a press conference, Shadow Minister for Energy Marthese Portelli spoke about reports in local media which revealed that Enemalta had once again taken over operations at the Delimara Power Station, in spite of a contract signed 18 months ago for Shanghai Electric to become responsible for the operations. The contract has not yet been made public and, as such, nobody but the government knows what Enemalta is shelling out to Shanghai Electric to use the power station.
Dr Portelli said that the real investment in Enemalta isn’t €100 million as the Maltese company is paying it back slowly in order to operate Delimara. Since the media reports have not been denied in any way, Dr Portelli appealed to the government to explain why Enemalta took the riunning of Delimara Power Station back from Shanghai Electric and how much of the taxpayers’ money is going into it.
She said that there is no tran[arency in the way the energy sector is being administered and extended the appeal for a parliamentary debate on the power station contracts.
Shadow Minister for the Economy Claudio Grech also requested a parliamentary debate asking a number of questions which he said were objective and carried no political agenda. “What are the rates by which Enemalta is using the Delimara Power Station?” Mr Grech asked.
He expressed strong doubts Shanghai Electric invested in the Maltese energy sector without expecting some sort of return.
Mr Grech said that, if it turns out that all agreements are indeed beneficial to Enemalta and the Maltese, he will do his utmost to help improve upon them. However, until all information is made public, the entire situation is causing more doubts than certainties. It is time to stop arguing based on conspiracy theories and rumours, but have an actual informed debate including politicians and social partners.
In a reaction statement, the government said that it has done more for the energy sector than the Opposition did in previous administrations. Bills have been reduced by 25 percent and the power stations are no longer using heavy fuel oil. Enemalta was brought back from the brink of bankruptcy by the Shanghai Electric investment, which the Opposition has been opposed to from the very beginning.
Other results of the government's work in the sector according to the statement were the reduction of around one million tonnes in emissions; Enemalta's debt being halved; work to transform the BWSC plant to gas started; the closure of the Marsa Power Station; the demolition of the Delimara chimney; and the interim aims for renewable energy were also met.