Updated | Report on Delimara heavy fuel oil finds no emissions breach

A baseline analysis of all data from 2009 to 2013 by the Air Quality Management Resource Centre (AQMRC), University of the West of England, Bristol has revealed no evidence to suggest that the Delimara Power Station was contributing to elevated concentrations of particulate matter at Birzebbuga or Marsaxlokk due to diesel engines using heavy fuel oil.

AQMRC was appointed by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) and a monitoring cpmmittee, following a competitive tendering process, to assess the impact of using HFO at Delimara Power Station.

Delimara currently runs eight medium-speed combined cycle diesel engines on HFO.

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Two three-month post-commissioning reports were produced in June and December 2013, covering 14 December 2012 to 3 March 2013 and 4 March to 14 June 2013 respectively.

The reports did not indicate that the DPS had contributed to any exceedances of the EU limite values for PM10 or PM2.5 between December and June 2013 at any sites. The recorded exceedances of the daily mean Limit Value for PM10 were attributed to regional sources, sometimes specifically to Saharan dust events, or more localised events associated with wind directions other than from the direction of the Delimara power station.

The report also found "no clear temporal relationship" between the Delimara dust emissions and the particulate matter concentrations recorded at either Birzebbuga or Marsaxlokk.

"In summary, spatial, temporal and exceedance analysis of PM10 and PM2.5 data and dust emissions has not indicated that the Delimara power station has contributed to any exceedances of the EU Limit Values for PM10 or PM2.5 during the post-commissioning period 14th December 2012 to 14th June 2013 at any sites. The recorded exceedances of the daily mean Limit Value for PM10 have been attributable to regional sources, sometimes specifically to Saharan dust events, or more localised events associated with wind directions other than from the direction of the DPS." - the report said.

A public consultation document, baseline report and final report on the Delimara Power Station extension's air quality has been made available on the MEPA website at www.mepa.org.mt/public-consultation, with comments to be received until 12th March 2014.

Delimara's extension - a diesel turbine running on Heavy Fuel Oil - was issued with an integrated pollution prevention control permit (IPPC) by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) Board in December 2011 and renewed in  July 2012 and September 2013, authorising its operation.

As part of the IPPC conditions, Enemalta asked for the monitoring of particulate matter (dust particles) PM10 and PM2.5 at Marsaxlokk and Birzebbuga undertaken by AIS Environmental.

AQMRC was in charge of data from Marsaxlokk and Birzebbuga, together with ambient monitoring data from MEPA, continuous stack monitoring and meteorological data to determine whether the emissions from the diesel engines at Delimara Power Station during the period of HFO use, was exceeding the emission limits for particulate matter (dust particles) as laid down in the law.

MEPA also carries out continuous monitoring of ambient air in Zejtun, Msida, Kordin, Attard (ozone only) and Gharb (background site). All sites except Attard monitor Benzene, Carbon Monoxide (CO), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)/Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Ozone (O3), PM10, PM2.5 and Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), as well as wind speed and direction.

The decision on the final choice of fuel for the diesel engines was kept as a reserved matter, until the submission and analyses of ambient air monitoring data. The current IPPC permit requires this decision to be taken by MEPA by not later than 31st March 2014.

The ambient air monitoring has been assessed by an independent air quality consultant appointed by a monitoring committee, chaired by MEPA and local council representatives and a representative of Enemalta.

The consultants have prepared a report using data prior to the full commissioning of DPSE which provides a baseline for the analyses of monitoring data over the six months following commissioning.

A final consolidated report covering six months' monitoring data (December 2012 - June 2013) with DPSE in full operation has also been prepared. The conclusions of this report will allow the Authority to decide to allow or not the continued use of Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) at the DPSE.