Delimara’s heavy fuel oil test run to continue until June 2013

Consultants require six more months to collect air data for Delimara extension’s pollution control permit.

MEPA allowed the Delimara extension to run on heavy fuel oil, but the conditions require Enemalta to carry out ambient air monitoring and see whether the extension should be run on gasoil instead of heavy fuel oil.
MEPA allowed the Delimara extension to run on heavy fuel oil, but the conditions require Enemalta to carry out ambient air monitoring and see whether the extension should be run on gasoil instead of heavy fuel oil.

The Delimara power station's trial period to run on heavy fuel oil will run for longer than expected, because independent consultants monitoring the plant's emissions need six more months to collect air monitoring data.

MEPA has issued a public consultation document over a recommendation by Enemalta to extend the deadline to June 2013 by when the authority issues an integrated pollution prevention control (IPPC) permit on whether heavy fuel oil continues to be used for Delimara.

An IPPC permit is an environment permit that sets out the conditions of the power station's operation.

A permit was issued in December 2011 by MEPA to allow the Delimara extension to use heavy fuel oil, but the conditions require Enemalta to carry out ambient air monitoring and see whether the extension should be run on gasoil instead of heavy fuel oil.

The Air Quality Management Resource Centre at the University of the West of England, Bristol, has been selected as the independent air quality consultant to assess this data.

The consultants were appointed by a monitoring committee chaired by MEPA, which includes representatives of the Marsaxlokk, Birzebbuga, Zejtun and Ghaxaq local councils, and a representative of Enemalta.

By analysing the data, MEPA must then decide whether heavy fuel oil will continue to be used, or whether the operation of the Delimara extension would be restricted to the use of gasoil.

The IPPC permit requires this decision to be taken by the Authority by no later than September 2012.

The consultants have informed the monitoring committee they require at least six months' monitoring data with the Delimara extension in full operation. Due to the extent of the data required, the independent consultants will not be in a position to prepare their report in time for the September 2012 timeframe to be met.

The committee has proposed that this relevant condition in the IPPC permit should be revised, to extend the timeframe from September 2012 to no later than June 2013.