The Ministry of Finance, the Economy and Investment has said that with reference to the statement issued by the European Commission on investment on the existing boilers at Enemalta’s Delimara Power Station, the Government’s decision to allocate €15.5 million of EU funding to modify two boilers of the existing Delimara Power Station is aimed at ensuring lower emissions levels and enhancing environmental protection in Malta.

Furthermore, the modification will provide Malta with the energy security it requires by providing back-up capacity in case of supply distortion, something which Government attaches a lot of importance to given the isolation of Malta from the wider European energy grid.

Over the past months technical discussions were conducted with Commission officials, who maintained that there are certain issues related to competition within the internal market which have to be investigated prior to the aid being approved. Consequently the Commission opened this procedure in order to give the opportunity to third parties to make any representations concerning the proposed funding, the Ministry said.

The Ministry concluded by saying that the Government also intends to make further submissions about its position as part of this process to explain why it does not agree with position taken by the European Commission. Government is maintaining its stance on the eligibility of this aid in view of the fact that the Delimara Power Station only produces energy for the Maltese market and therefore it does not distort competition in the internal market.

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