The government's decision to hire two generators for €37 million for a period of 47 days confirms its amateur politics, the Nationalist Party said in a statement Saturday.
"The news of the expense for the rental of two diesel-powered generators increasing from the initially announced €14 million in the budget to €37 million is indicative of amateurism in the government's energy policy," the PN said.
A company owned by Bonnici Brothers has been awarded the tender by Enemalta to construct a €37 million emergency power plant in Delimara.
UNEC Ltd is tasked with constructing the emergency diesel-powered facility in Delimara, with work set to commence no later than July, and to manage its operations for a duration of two years, pending the establishment of a secondary undersea interconnector between Malta and Sicily.
"This means that we will be paying €37 million for two generators that will only be used for a maximum of 47 days. If Enemalta were a private company, a mistake like this would have serious consequences. But the government seems to think that it can do as it pleases with our money without facing any consequences,” the PN said.
The statement continued that after the failure of the energy distribution system during the previous summer, 'due to neglect over the past 10 years,' which resulted in numerous blackouts, “it now turns out that even the generation supply does not meet our country's demand' - an admission made by Engineer Ryan Fava, who spoke as an engineer responsible for Enemalta's management.”
The PN also criticized the government for repeatedly using the term 'cancer factory' and initially promoting gas, only to revert back to diesel.
This statement was signed by PN's spokesperson for Energy, Ryan Callus.
In reply, the Labour Party said the PN did not believe Malta needed a new power startion and had not completed the interconnector while in government.
The Labour government in the pasyt years had strengthened the generation of electricity and the distribution network.
The Labour government will not take lessons on clean energy from the PN.
The country has a strong power system but it has the obligation to also improve its services in cases if emergency,