Waqt konferenza stampa quddiem il-Ministeru għall-ambjent u l-enerġija l-Belt Valletta, il-kelliema ta’ ADPD – The Green Party qalu li r-rapport tal-Awditur Ġenerali dwar l-investigazzjoni li għamel dwar l-Enemalta u s-sistema tad-distribuzzjoni tal-elettriku, liema investigazzjoni l-partit kien talab lura fis-sajf tal-2023 jikkonferma n-nuqqas ta’ ippjanar fit-tul f’sistemi moderni tal-elettriku. In-nuqqas ta’ ippjanar fil-qasam tal-ġenerazzjoni tal-enerġija potenzjalment jwassal għal diżastru. Qegħdin lejliet diżastru f’dan il-qasam.
Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD – The Green Party Sandra Gauci qalet:”Huwa issa kkonfermat li l-gvern aktar moħħu illi jonfoq mal-miljun Ewro kuljum f’sussidji lil kulħadd fuq l-elettriku milli joffri servizz modern li jlaħħaq mad-domanda għall-elettriku u anke billi jinvesti fl-effiċjenza, il-kontroll tal-ħela u f’sistema li tiflaħ għal aktar u aktar enerġija nadifa u rinovabbli. Irridu sistema tal-enerġija moderna li tiżgura provista tal-elettriku għal kwalità ta’ ħajja aħjar. Dan jinkludi tranżizzjoni lejn aktar u aktar enerġija rinovabbli, u sistema ta’ distribuzzjoni ‘smart’ li taqdi l-ħtiġijiet ta’ ekonomija żero-karbonju. Hija l-inkompetenza u t-traskuraġni li wasslet għas-sitwazzjoni tal-qtugħ tad-dawl. Li d-domanda żdiedet kienet xi ħaġa prevedibbli – kemm minħabba l-permessi għal bini bl-addoċċ, l-bini ta’ aktar u aktar lukandi li m’għandnhiex bżonnhom għax diġa għandna wisq sodod għat-turisti, u anke għax l-bidla fil-klima ilna li nafu biha. Huwa ovvju ukoll li l-gvern jinċentiva l-ħela għax minflok żamm prezzijiet raġonevoli għal min jagħmel użu bil-għaqal tal-enerġija, ippremja ukoll lil min jaħli u juża l-elettriku bl-addoċċ billi ssussidja l-użu eċċessiv. Saru ukoll investimenti manifestament korrotti fil-Montenegro fost oħrajn, biex igawdu l-ħbieb ta’ Konrad Mizzi u Joseph Muscat, minflok ma sar investiment ta’ enerġija rinovabbli f’Malta stess. Nerġgħu għaldaqstant nitolbu li jkun hemm kontabilità ta’ din is-sitwazzjoni.”
Is-Segretarju Ġenerali ta’ ADPD, Dr Ralph Cassar qal li dan li qed jiġri huwa frott tan-nuqqas ta’ ppjanar fit-tul. “Is-settur tal-enerġija f’Malta ħafna drabi ffoka fejn hemm l-aktar lok għat-tgawdija tal-ftit mix-xiri tal-fuel, bħal ma ġara fix-xiri tal-gass u fl-iskandlu taż-żejt, li dwaru għad hemm proċeduri kriminali għaddejja fil-Qrati. Imma s-sistema tad-distribuzzjoni li minnha tiddependi il-provvista dwarha sar ftit li xejn.”
“Ir-rapport tal-Awditur jagħmel referenza għas-sħana li dejjem qed tiżdied għal perjodi itwal u għalhekk iż-żieda fid-domanda li iżżid il-‘load’ fuq is-sistema ta’ distribuzzjoni. Kemm iż-żidiet kbar fit-turiżmu u fil-bini bl-addoċċ kienu prevedibbli. Li l-klima qed tinbidel ukoll hija xi ħaġa magħrufa sew u għalhekk prevedibbli. L-elettrifikazzjoni ta’ ħafna apparat kemm fid-djar u anke f’postijiet tax-xogħol hija xi ħaġa prevedibbli. Minkejja dan kollu l-Awditur jitkellem dwar in-nuqqas tal-Enemalta li tippreżenta rapporti u pjanijiet lir-Regolatur dwar l-enerġija u l-ilma skont il-liġi.”
“Hija verament tal-mistħija li r-regolatur (REWS, Regulator for Energy and Water Services) minkejja n-nuqqasijiet tal-Enemalta, ma ħax passi bil-liġi. Huwa ta’ għajb li r-regolatur qagħad ċiċċi beqqi, u fi kliem l-Awditur stess ir-regolatur ma ħassx li għandu juża l-poteri li ttih il-liġi biex jimmulta lill-Enemalta talli ma żammitx mal-obbligi tagħha. Laissez-faire, u traskuraġni li qed iwasslu għal kollass fis-sistema tad-distribuzzjoni tal-elettriku.”
“Xi eżempji, f’paġna 27 per eżempju l-Awditur juri kif xi pjanijiet tal-Enemalta jonqsu milli jħarsu fit-tul fejn tidħol id-domanda għall-elettriku u fuq is-sistema tad-distribuzzjoni. Previżjonijiet isiru għal sena jew tnejn, mingħajr forecasting dettaljat. Lanqas ma’ saru pjanijiet dwar għażliet differenti kif iż-żieda fid-domanda tista’ tiġi sodisfatta. Pjanijiet għal enerġija rinovabbli ġġenerata f’Malta stess fid-dawl tal-obbligi ta’ pajjiżna elenkati fil-Ftehim ta’ Pariġi u tan-‘National Energy and Climate Plan’ huma fil-parti l-kbira fjakki u inadegwati (p.26). Kif qed tippjana li tonora dawn l-obbligi importanti l-Enemalta? Meta se juri snienu fl-interess tal-pajjiż ir-regolatur (REWS)? Inkompetenza u traskuraġni ħtija tal-Ministri tal-gvern u tal-Bordijiet tad-Diretturi u tas-CEOs tal-Enemalta u tar-REWS li jaħtar il-gvern stess.”
“Ir-rapport tal-Awditur jikkonferma li l-Enemalta ma tħarisx lejn il-futur u li aktar traqqa’ l-pannu bil-qara aħmar milli tħares lejn futur ta’ sistema moderna tal-elettriku. Fil-fatt kienet biss il-kriżi prevedibbli fis-sistema ta’ distribuzzjoni wasslet biex isir naqra aktar sforz biex tissaħħaħ is-sistema tad-distribuzzjoni. Imma r-realtà tibqa’ li l-bord kemm tal-Enemalta u anke tar-regolatur (REWS) mhux qed jagħmlu xogħolhom u jaraw li l-affarijiet isiru b’mod professjonali. Anzi jaraw xi skużi jsibu biex jiġġustifikaw u jgħattu lill-gvern minflok jservu l-interessi tal-pajjiż. Min jaf għaliex hux?”
“Min-naħa tiegħu l-gvern aktar moħħu fit-tqassim tal-flus lil min m’għandux bżonnhom, moħħu biex jinkoraġixxi l-ħela li għalih qed inħallsu aħna lkoll, u fil-pożi. Nerġgħu ntennu biex isir sforz biex tiġi kontrollata d-domanda għall-elettriku billi ma jingħatawx aktar permessi għal lukandi, billi l-lukandi iħallsu l-prezz sħiħ tal-elettriku li jikkonsmaw, billi jieqaf il-bini bl-addoċċ, billi kull għajnuna jew programm indirizzat lejn l-industrija jkun marbut ma’ effiċjenza fl-użu tal-enerġija u l-enerġija rinovabbli, billi sussidji għal bini żero-karbonju jkun iffokat fuq min jiflaħ l-inqas, u billi kull bini gradwalment ikun obbligat li jiġġenera l-elettriku li għandu bżonn minn sorsi rinovabbli.”
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Myopic Enemalta and a useless energy regulator
During a press conference in front of the Ministry for the Environment and the Environment in Valletta, speakers for ADPD – The Green Party said that the Auditor General’s report on Enemalta and the electricity distribution system, which the party had requested back in the summer of 2023, confirms the lack of long-term planning in modern electricity distribution systems. All this has disastrous consequences.
Sandra Gauci, ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson, said: “It has now been confirmed that the government is more interested in spending a million euros a day in blanket subsidies on electricity consumption irrespective of waste rather than offering a modern service that meets the demand for electricity, and rather than investing in efficiency, controlling waste and in a system that can withstand more and more clean and renewable energy. We want a modern energy system that ensures a supply of electricity for a better quality of life. This includes a transition towards more and more renewable energy, and a ‘smart’ distribution system that meets the needs of a zero-carbon economy. It is clear that incompetence and carelessness that led to the situation of the power cuts. The increase in demand was predictable, both because of the tsunami of construction projects, the construction of more and more hotels that we don’t need because we already have too many beds for tourists, and also because of climate change, an emergency we are all aware of for years on end now. It is also obvious that the government incentivizes wastage because instead of ensuring reasonable tariffs for those who use energy wisely, it also rewards those who waste and use electricity recklessly. Government is subsidising excessive use. Another example of recklessness was the waste of money in Montenegro. Instead of investing in renewable energy in Malta, manifestly corrupt investments were made in Montenegro, amongst others, to benefit the friends of Konrad Mizzi and Joseph Muscat. We therefore again ask that there be accountability for all this.”
ADPD – The Green Party Secretary General Dr. Ralph Cassar said that the disaster in the energy system is a result of incompetence and a sheer lack of long-term planning. “The energy sector in Malta has frequently focused on fuel purchases, a source of huge profits for the few. The case of gas purchases and the oil scandal are but two examples. However, very little has been done to improve the distribution system itself.
“The Auditor’s report makes reference to an increase in the frequency of heatwaves and in rising temperatures, which explains the increase in demand that in turn increases the ‘load’ on the distribution system. Both the huge increase in tourism and in reckless building were predictable. That fact that the climate is also changing is something well known and therefore predictable. The increased electrification of many appliances, machines and systems both in homes and even in workplaces is something predictable. Despite all this, the Auditor talks about Enemalta’s failure to present reports and plans to the Regulator for Energy and Water Services (REWS) in accordance with the law. On page 27, for example, the Auditor shows how some of Enemalta’s plans fail to take a long-term view when it comes to electricity demand and the distribution system. Forecasts are made for only a year or two, without detailed forecasting. Neither have plans been made regarding different options as to how the increase in demand can be met. Plans for renewable energy generated in Malta in light of our country’s obligations according to the Paris Agreement and the National Energy and Climate Plan are weak to non-existent (p.26). How does Enemalta plan to honour these important obligations? By doing nothing? This incompetence and carelessness are the fault of government Ministers, and Enemalta’s and REWS’s Boards of Directors, and CEOs that the government itself appoints.”
“Electrification is an important step to reach zero-carbon emissions, but it must be accompanied by investment in efficiency, and long-term spending in distribution systems, generation and storage of electricity from renewable sources. The Auditor’s report confirms that Enemalta does not look to the future and that is not investing in a modern electricity system to meet the demands of the future. In fact, it was only the completely predictable crisis in the distribution system that led to the increased effort to strengthen the distribution system lately”.
“As for the government, it is more concerned with distributing money to those who don’t need it, encouraging waste for which we are all paying, and in the meantime pretending to do something about it. We reiterate that an effort should be made to control the demand for electricity by a moratorium on new hotels and large scale projects, nipping speculation in the bud. We demand that hotels are required to pay the full price of the electricity they consume. We also propose that the provision of any financial aid or program earmarked for industry be strictly linked to greater efficiency in the use of energy and the generation of renewable energy. Subsidies should be targeted for those who can least afford a transition towards zero-carbon buildings. It is imperative that every single building in Malta moves towards gradually generating the electricity it needs from renewable sources.”
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Siltiet mir-rapport / Excerpts from the report:
3.2.4 The audit team proceeded to enquire with REWS whether it is in receipt of these two plans, as a means to ascertain whether Enemalta complied with its legal obligation to produce and submit them to the former accordingly. As a reply, REWS informed the audit team that for the period 2021 to date (that is, during the effective period of SL 545.34) it has only been officially forwarded with one NDP by the DSO, that is, the one covering the period 2024-2031… As the DSO’s current legal obligation is to submit an NDP to the regulator at least every two years, this means that the DSO has defaulted on this requirement during the effective period of SL 545.34. This observation was confirmed by REWS.
3.3.2 In view of the defaults from Enemalta’s part to adhere to the above legislation (section 3.2 refers), the audit team enquired with REWS whether any penalties, as cited by the abovementioned law, have been imposed on the DSO. In reply, REWS management confirmed that it never imposed such penalties on Enemalta and that it rather prefers to attempt to convince the DSO to abide to such regulations. Specifically, REWS explained that, in its view, imposing penalties may divert effort and resources, from both the regulator and the DSO, towards lengthy judicial proceedings rather than employing these to complete and fulfil the submission of the plans in question.
3.4.4 As can be observed from Table 4, the three plans under review all featured certain weaknesses when benchmarked against the above set criteria. While this Office cannot ascertain that identified missing elements are not provided for in other planning documents within Enemalta, it is pertinent to note that the criteria set by this Office for these plans emanate, amongst others, from relevant legislation and the entity’s own network code. In light of this, the NAO believes that regardless of whether these aspects are addressed in other documents, their absence from these plans is considered a deficiency.
Full report here: https://nao.gov.mt/2024/07/15/high-level-review-on-enemaltas-planning-and-investment-in-the-local-distribution-network/
