Enemalta made no contact with potential gas suppliers following a report in 2004 by an energy economist who urged the corporation to “seriously consider” pursuing natural gas, The Times has learnt.
The Government confirmed this in an e-mail sent reacting to a story published by The Times yesterday about a report drawn up by international energy economist John Gault.
The 2004 report mentioned a proposal by Algerian energy company Sonatrach to co-invest in an LNG terminal and enter into a 10-year supply contract, mirroring Labour’s current proposals.
“Others who should be contacted include BP, BG, Gaz de France, Shell and Qatar,” the report recommended after pointing out that the gas pipeline option being studied at the time would be more expensive than an LNG terminal.
A spokesman for Finance Minister Tonio Fenech said: “The minister fails to understand this continued emphasis on reports, conclusions and recommendations made over almost a decade ago, in a debate on defining Malta’s energy policy up till, at least, 2020.”
Noting Labour’s “interest” in resurrecting such reports when its own conclusions showed a gas pipeline to be cheaper than shipping solutions, Mr Fenech’s spokesman...
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