LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Maltese Energy Minister Miriam Dalli announced that Malta will get its second interconnector. The investment will have a capacity of 200MW and is estimated to cost € 170 million. Minister Dalli confirmed that the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal to install a second interconnector, linking Malta to Ragusa in Sicily.
The Maltese government is foreseeing an increase in demand over the coming years to which it shall respond by diversifying in its source of energy, Dalli said, and added that energy generated through cleaner resources remains of utmost priority.
She explained that the government had assessed various connections, including Ragusa, Greece and Tunisia, and chose Ragusa for the advantages it offered over other locations.
The first interconnector, which was inaugurated in 2014, had already the infrastructure in place in case a second interconnector was installed. Minister Dalli said the process can start and the Maltese government aims to have the second interconnector up and running by 2025.
The key sources driving the demand in electricity over the coming years are GDP growth, electric vehicles and shore-to-ship supplies, an estimate increase in demand by 21% over six years.
The second interconnector is expected to result in a 58% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.
The different options evaluated by the government included Malta-Calabria link, Malta-Hammamet, and Malta-Greece through the Ionian Coast.
Various factors were taken into consideration before the government finally settled for the Malta-Ragusa link. Apart from being the cheapest, it is also the least risky option. Moreover, an operational agreement is already in place which translates into a better stability.
On the gas pipeline, Minister Dalli said that it is still part of the Maltese government plans.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews