English Version :
“The Government is allocating 10% of its 2023 Budget to ensure stable energy bills and fuel prices because we do not want families and businesses to relive the economic hardships of the 2008 energy price hikes.”
This was stated by the Minister for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli, whilst explaining the Government’s Budget 2023 energy initiatives during a visit to L-Andrijiet, in the limits of Rabat, whereby a major project was completed to improve the quality of water, wastewater and electricity services for 120 families in this area.
The Minister explained that for this year and next year, the Government will be allocating around €1 billion to cushion the impact of international energy prices on water and energy bills and fuel prices, ensuring stability in these critical costs for families and businesses. She stated that the Government is investing such a significant share of its public expenditure because it has always recognised the importance of stability in energy bills for economic prosperity and a better quality of life.
Between 2008 and 2012, Malta experienced the consequences of rising energy costs that other countries are facing today, when the Government had raised tariffs in response to surging international oil prices. This increase in water and electricity bills meant that families and businesses had to fork out an additional €100 million. As a result, the economy floundered, unemployment increased and families suffered inflation and other hardships.
“We want to continue securing a strong economy and a better quality of life. Certainty and stability are not just buzzwords for this Government. They are the policies that we wholeheartedly implement every day, through all our decisions,” the Minister said.
To achieve energy price stability, the Government is not only allocating millions in support. It is tackling this international crisis through a multi-pronged approach. During the last nine years, the Government invested in a diversified energy mix, which it is now optimising to reduce the impact of the cost of imported electricity.
“Had Malta relied on the Interconnector only, today we would be here to announce higher energy bills. Meanwhile, we also secured exemptions from certain EU measures, such as mandatory gas reductions, after we convinced the European Commission that such actions were not going to have the desired positive impacts on families in Malta,” stated Minister Dalli.
€5.5 million for better water, electricity services at L-Andrijiet
Despite the significant increase in government expenditure to maintain stable water and energy bills, Government is still investing heavily in water, wastewater, and electricity infrastructure upgrades to improve quality of service. At L-Andrijiet, the Water Services Corporation utilised EU funds to implement a €4.7 million project to connect this isolated rural area to the national wastewater network and upgrade its potable water pipelines. For decades, 120 families in this community relied on cesspits, which needed to be regularly emptied by sewage vacuum trucks. Often they overflowed, causing health and environmental consequences. Meanwhile, Enemalta also invested €800,000 in this area, replacing aerial lines with underground high voltage cables to improve service reliability, especially during strong winds and storms.
€52 million distribution network upgrades in 2023
The infrastructural investment in the water and energy utilities will continue in 2023. Water Services Corporation is planning to conclude several major projects adding up to €37 million, including new water pipelines and sewers. Enemalta is continuing its six-year €90 million electricity grid reinforcement project, whereby in 2023, it will be implementing €15 million in network upgrades in several localities.
€28 million schemes for grid-connected renewables
Minister Dalli also explained how the 2023 Budget will also take us another step closer to the 2050 decarbonisation targets, as it allocates €28 million in schemes to encourage households and businesses to invest in grid-connected renewable energy systems, such as rooftop photovoltaic panels. “As I often made clear at EU Energy Council meetings, we should not let the current international crisis dampen our resolve to reach our environmental goals. Contrarily, these challenges should encourage us to work harder and allocate more resources to attain our climate and sustainability objectives even earlier,” she explained.
Encouraging offshore renewable energy systems
The 2023 Budget also affirms the Government’s commitment to adopt offshore renewable energy technologies. Next year the Government is inviting the private sector to invest in renewable energy systems in Maltese waters. It will also continue working on the studies and permits required for the development of the second Malta-Italy electricity interconnector, a €160 million investment to augment the country’s security of supply, while providing the required spare capacity and resilience to meet fluctuations from existing and future wind and solar energy sources.
Sandro Craus, the mayor of Rabat, Karl Cilia, the Water Services Corporation CEO and Jonathan Cardona, the CEO of Enemalta plc, accompanied the Minister during this visit, as they met some of the residents benefitting from the L-Andrijiet water and energy projects.
Maltese Version :
MALTA, ĊERTEZZA U STABBILTÀ: €1 biljun b’appoġġ lill-familji u n-negozji fil-qasam tal-enerġija
“Il-Gvern qed jalloka 10% tal-Baġit 2023 sabiex isostni l-istabbilità tal-prezzijiet tal-enerġija u l-fjuwils biex il- familji u n-negozji ma jerġgħux jgħaddu mit-tbatijiet ekonomiċi kkawżati miż-żieda fit-tariffi fl-2008.”
Hekk sostniet il-Ministru għall-Ambjent, l-Enerġija u l-Intrapriża Miriam Dalli waqt li kienet qed tispjega l- inizjattivi tal-Gvern għall-Budget 2023, fi żjara fiż-żona tal-Andrijiet, fil-limiti tar-Rabat, fejn tlesta proġett maġġuri li wassal għal titjib fil-kwalità tas-servizzi tal-ilma, d-drenaġġ u l-elettriku għal 120 familja li jgħixu f’din iż-żona.
Il-Ministru spjegat li għal din is-sena u għas-sena li ġejja, l-Gvern qed jalloka madwar €1 biljun biex inaqqas l- impatt tal-prezzijiet tal-enerġija fuq il-kontijiet tad-dawl u l-ilma u l-prezzijiet tal-fjuwil sabiex jiżgura stabbilità għall-familji u n-negozji. Hija tenniet li l-Gvern qed jinvesti proporzjon daqstant sostanzjali tan-nefqa pubblika għaliex jirrikonoxxi l-importanza tal-istabbiltà fil-kontijiet tal-enerġija għat-tkabbir ekonomiku u kwalità ta’ ħajja aħjar.
Bejn l-2008 u 2012, Malta għaddiet mill-problemi li qed jiffaċċjaw pajjiżi oħrajn illum, meta l-Gvern ta’ dak iż- żmien għolla t-tariffi biex iwieġeb għal żieda fil-prezzijiet internazzjonali taż-żejt. Din iż-żieda fil-kontijiet tad- dawl u l-ilma kienet tfisser li l-familji u n-negozji kellhom joħorġu €100 miljun aktar minn bwiethom. Riżultat ta’ dan, l-ekonomija ħadet daqqa ‘l isfel, il-qgħad żdied u l-familji batew bl-għoli tal-ħajja u problemi oħrajn.
“Irridu nkomplu niżguraw ekonomija b’saħħitha u kwalità ta’ ħajja aħjar. Għal dan il-Gvern iċ-ċertezza u l- istabbiltà m’humiex biss slogan, imma l-politika li nwettqu bil-qalb, kuljum, f’kull deċiżjoni li nieħdu,” saħqet il-Ministru.
Biex nilħqu stabbiltà fil-prezzijiet tal-enerġija, il-Gvern mhux qiegħed biss jalloka l-miljuni f’għajnuna, iżda qed jara li jindirizza din is-sitwazzjoni b’mod ħolistiku. Matul l-aħħar disa’ snin, il-Gvern investa fid- diversifikazzjoni tas-sorsi tal-enerġija, li issa qed juża bl-aħjar mod biex inaqqas l-impatt tal-prezzijiet tal- importazzjoni tal-elettriku.
“Kieku Malta ddependiet biss fuq l-elettriku mill-Interconnector, kieku illum qegħdin hawn inħabbru żieda fil- kontijiet tal-enerġija. Minflok, qed noffru ċertezza u stabbiltà. Fl-istess waqt, qed niksbu eżenzjonijiet minn miżuri Ewropej, bħal tnaqqis mandatorju tal-gass, wara li kkonvinċejna lill-Kumissjoni Ewropeja li dawn l- azzjonijiet ma jħallux impatt pożittiv fuq il-familji f’Malta,” żiedet tgħid il-Ministru.
€5.5 miljun għas-servizzi tal-ilma u l-elettriku fl-Andrijiet
Waqt li qed tiżdied in-nefqa biex tinżamm l-istabbiltà fil-kontijiet tal-enerġija u l-ilma, il-Gvern kompla jinvesti b’mod sħiħ fl-infrastruttura tal-ilma, d-drenaġġ u l-elettriku biex titjieb il-kwalità ta’ dawn is-servizzi. Fil- Andrijiet, il-Korporazzjoni għas-Servizzi tal-Ilma utilizzat Fondi Ewropej biex wettqet proġett ta’ €4.7 miljun li jgħaqqad żoni rurali man-network nazzjonali tad-drenaġġ, filwaqt li tejbet is-sistemi tad-distribuzzjoni tal-ilma tax-xorb. Għal snin twal, 120 familji f’din il-komunità kienu jiddependu fuq fosos quddiem djarhom, li mbagħad kienu jitbattlu bil-bowsers. Ta’ spiss kienu jfuru u jwasslu għal ħsarat ambjentali, intejjen u problemi ta’ saħħa. Fl-istess waqt, l-Enemalta investiet mat-€800,000 f’dawn l-akwati, sabiex tneħħi l-wires fuq arbli li kienu jwasslu l-elettriku f’dawn l-inħawi, sabiex minflokhom għaddiet cables ta’ vultaġġ għoli taħt l-art. B’hekk, tejbet l- affidabbiltà tas-servizz, b’mod speċjali meta jkun riħ qawwi u maltemp.
€52 miljun f’tisħiħ tas-sistemi tad-distribuzzjoni fl-2023
Dan l-investiment infrastrutturali fl-entitajiet tal-ilma u l-enerġija se jkomplu fl-2023. Il-Korporazzjoni għas- Servizzi tal-Ilma qed tippjana li tlesti diversi proġetti maġġuri li jammontaw mas-€37 miljun. Fost oħrajn, dawn jinkludu pajpijiet ġodda tal-provvista tal-ilma u katusi tad-drenaġġ. L-Enemalta se tkompli għaddejja bil-proġett fuq sitt snin b’investiment ta’ €90 miljun għat-tisħiħ tal-grid tal-elettriku, fejn is-sena d-dieħla se tkompli twettaq proġetti għat-titjib f’din is-sistema tad-distribuzzjoni f’diversi lokalitajiet oħra, li ser jammontaw għal €15- il miljun.
€28 miljun fi skemi għall–enerġiji rinnovabbli konnessi mal-grid
Il-Ministru Dalli spjegat ukoll kif il-Baġit 2023 se jkompli jwassalna pass ieħor lejn il-miri tad- dekarbonizzazzjoni tal-2050, hekk kif qed jiddedika €28 miljun fi skemi li jinkoraġġixxu aktar familji u negozji jinvestu f’sistemi t’enerġija rinnovabbli, bħal pannelli fotovoltajiċi għal fuq il-bjut. “F’diversi laqgħat tal-Kunsill tal-Enerġija tal-UE, nagħmilha ċara kif m’għandniex inħallu l-kriżi internazzjonali tal-enerġija twaqqafna milli nkomplu nilħqu l-miri ambjentali tagħna. Anzi bil-kuntrarju, dawn l-isfidi għandhom iħeġġuna naħdmu aktar u nallokaw aktar riżorsi biex nilħqu l-objettivi tal-klima u s-sostenibbiltà kemm jista’ jkun malajr,” sostniet il- Ministru Dalli.
Ninkoraġġixxu aktar sistemi t’enerġija rinnovabbli offshore
Il-Baġit 2023 jafferma wkoll l-impenn tal-Gvern li jaddotta teknoloġiji t’enerġija rinnovabbli offshore. Is-sena d- dieħla l-Gvern ser jistieden lis-settur privat biex jinvesti f’sistemi t’enerġija rinnovabbli fl-ibħra Maltin. Dan filwaqt li jkompli jaħdem fuq l-istudji u l-permessi meħtieġa għall-iżvilupp tat-tieni interconnector tal-elettriku bejn Malta u l-Italja, investiment ta’ €160 miljun biex iżid is-sigurtà tal-provvistà tal-pajjiż, filwaqt li jipprovdi
aktar kapaċità addizzjonali u reżiljenza sabiex il-pajjiż jilqa’ għall-varjazzjonijiet tas-sistemi t’enerġija solari u tar-riħ li għandna llum u li jista’ jkollna fil-futur.
Sandro Craus, is-Sindku tar-Rabat, Karl Cilia, il-Kap Eżekuttiv tal-Korporazzjoni għas-Servizzi tal-Ilma u Jonathan Cardona, Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ Enemalta, akkumpanjaw lill-Ministru Dalli matul din iż-żjara, fejn iltaqgħu ma’ uħud mir-residenti li qed jibbenefikaw mill-proġetti tal-ilma u l-enerġija fl-Andrijiet.