Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/656590
6 JAMES DEBONO DESPITE clear indications by the government that the new De- limara gas power station owned by the Electrogas consortium will be operational during the summer, no date has been set yet by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority for the approval of its Integrated Pollu- tion Prevention Control Permit (IPPC). "The authority is currently awaiting the outcome of studies following which it will continue processing the IPPC application for the new gas power station," a spokesperson for MEPA told MaltaToday. Installations like power sta- tions and large chemical plants have to obtain an IPPC permit from MEPA to be allowed to op- erate. The permitting process ensures that these plants make use of the best available tech- nology in their operations. In the case of new installations an IPPC permit has to be approved by the MEPA board before the commencement of operations. The spokesperson failed to elaborate on which studies have been undertaken so far and when these will be issued for public consultation. In February, Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi reiterated that the new gas-fired power station would start producing energy "during the summer". He had announced a June 2016 deadline for electricity to begin f low- ing to homes in an announce- ment in Parliament in Decem- ber 2014. The government was originally committed to having the new power infrastructure fi- nalised by March, 2015. In October, 2014 a MEPA spokesperson confirmed that a formal application for this per- mit had yet to be submitted even if the technical documentation relating to the IPPC application "had been submitted and was being reviewed ". The IPPC assesses the whole environmental performance of the plant, including matters like emissions into the air, water and land, generation of waste, use of raw materials, energy efficiency, noise, prevention of accidents and risk management. A planning permit was ap- proved by MEPA in February, 2014 but a number of reports, including a nautical risk assess- ment and a cost benefit analysis being carried out as part of the IPPC process have not yet been published. The Cost Benefit Analysis will reveal the percentage of nation- al demand provided by the new privately owned powerhouse and the share of energy from other sources like the intercon- nector. The temporary use of heav y fuel oil for the BWSC-con- structed Delimara power plant was approved through an IPPC permit granted during a stormy meeting of the MEPA board in December, 2011. The permit was subsequently extended by MEPA under the present admin- istration. maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 23 MARCH 2016 News Friday, April 1 st 2016 Divine Mercy Sanctuary, San Pawl tat-Tarġa 7.30pm €15/€20/€25/€30 (Drinks will follow at the venue) Seats may be booked directly via www. cketline.com.mt or via one of these communica on channels The Archbishop's Seminary - Il-Mixtla www.seminary.org.mt 2145 5497 / 7964 9785 / 9982 9105 events@seminary.org.mt i Mercy Celebrating the Jubilee Of Mercy Concert in aid of the Archbishop's Seminary a concert by the St Paul Choral Society under the direction of Dr Hugo Agius Muscat with the participation of Soprano Baritone Rosabelle Bianchi and Charles Buttigieg and organist Elisabeth Conrad Celebrating Celebrating Man stabbed in neck on board vessel in Marsa shipyard A 35-year-old Libyan man was stabbed in the neck during an argu- ment on board a vessel berthed in Marsa. Police say that the i n c i d e n t took place on board a vessel b e r t h e d in a ship- yard be- tween Il-Moll tal-Knisja and Xatt il-Mollijiet at about 3:15am. The Valletta District Po- lice and Rapid Intervention Unit found the victim on site with a neck wound. He was immedi- ately conveyed to Mater Dei for treat- m e n t , where it was es- t a b l i s h e d that he had suf- fered griev- ous injuries. Police say that they have arrested a foreign suspect in relation to the stabbing. New power station: Studies for IPPC permit still being conducted