Enemalta’s mismanagement and kneejerk reactions to another energy crisis unfolding this summer continue unabated as an “emergency power plant,” which had to be up and running by the end of May, has not yet reached Malta’s shores.
Ryan Fava, the Executive Chair of the state energy provider, admitted in an interview with The Times of Malta that the €37 million plant – necessary as a result of the government’s missed target on a second interconnector with Sicily – was very late.
According to Fava, the new emergency power plant is expected to work by mid-August – three months later than planned.
He also said it would take three weeks for the plant to become operational once it reaches Malta. Yet the tender document states the plant will need 13 weeks to become operational.
The mid-August deadline, although late, may not be realistic.
In a letter sent to the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) earlier this year, attempting to justify a fast-tracked permit for the temporary power plant, Fava wrote that the new 60MW temporary plant would provide energy from Delimara by the end of May 2024.
The plant should have been producing energy last May but is “still in transit”.
Fava did not explain why the plant awarded to road contractors Bonnici Brothers was not yet in place.
According to the tender, the suppliers would be fined €1,000 a day for delays. Yet this has not been applied.
Instead, Fava insisted that “we are lucky even to source a plant.”
Experts told The Times that such plants, and even more modern ones that work with LNG power, were available worldwide and described Fava’s excuses as “hogwash”.
The Shift reported that instead of going for the best technology and least polluting plants on the market, provided by an array of worldwide suppliers, Enemalta insisted on having a diesel-fired plant, the most polluting technology available.
While Bonnici Brothers, who have been in business with Prime Minister Robert Abela, have no experience in such plants, Enemalta still decided to award them the €37 million contract to lease the plant for 27 months.
On their part, as they had no available plants, Bonnici Bros is relying on a Saudi Company, Altaqqa Alternative Solutions Global FZE, to provide the plant.
Other companies that participated in the tender, including those from the US, Italy, and China, had such plants requested by Enemalta that were already available.
The Shift had reported that experts consulted said Enemalta’s May deadline for the plant’s operational completion was unrealistic.
Enemalta preferred the offer of Bonnici Brothers, even though they have no experience in the field. Their offer was the lowest priced.
AMATEURS!!! With a pedigree. Pity that we have to suffer with those who persist in voting for them.
Why do we actually need this emergency generator ? It is not about meeting the demand but to safely distribute it.
companies with experience, but they give the contract to those who have no experience, despite the millions of euros spent they cannot solve the problem, I think that in every large government contract there will always be problems from now on. But if they were going to build a private mega-mall, would it have already been completed?
Hbieb Tal Hbieb!!! I wonder how many brown envelopes will be circulated in the meantime. And the cheapest tender means nothing because the contractor will invent some extras and get paid for them. The non implementation of €1000 daily delay costs is a case in point. How lucky we are!!!!
The miraculous and costly addition, meant to solve the country’s inconvenience through the now regular outages, ‘should be operational’ by the third week of August – a little before the worst of the heat periods will begin to subside.
In the meantime, we must make sure that we do not run out of candles by that time, mustn’t we!!
is this a case of no pay – no ship?
need at least 6-8 sqkm in the sea its enough to fill with solarpanels for 950-1100 MW energy (enough for all Malta consumption), replacement the diesel shitty things… I know its expensive, but green and renewable…
What happens when the winds don’t blow. You’re also ignoring the effects wind turbines have on marine life. Then when the turbines have come to and end they bury them as landfill. Sorry but the word renewable and green is merely propaganda
And in this crisis the Chairman went for a week long holiday whilst we are working our ass out to solve the problems.
Another project for the friends of friends, and we pay. Yet we are supposedly to go environmentally friend yet again investing in diesel power generation. So why do you want electric cars to start with if the electric infrastructure cannot cope? We could have less electric cars and more combustion engines, might as, well, reduces the demand from the grid
I’m not an expert in this field but how will this plant solve the extra load on the underground cables as this seems to be one of the main faults when we have power cuts.
They are not capable of organising a prayer in a mosque