During a Council meeting of EU energy ministers held in Brussels, Minister for Environment, Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli, reiterated Malta’s position on the need to decouple gas prices from electricity prices. As things stand today, electricity prices are set by the market hourly closing prices which is usually determined by the electricity generated by gas power plants and hence by gas prices.
The EU Energy Council meeting discussed the new European Commission proposal for a new electricity market design, the gas and hydrogen package, and the gas demand reduction.
On the new electricity market design proposal, Minister Dalli highlighted the need to reform the EU electricity market, as States like Malta are exposed to high electricity prices due to the way the EU electricity market operates, even though the Maltese consumer is protected from fluctuating prices through government measures.
Minister Dalli emphasised the importance of delivering a revised market design that ensures price stability and guarantees the security of supply in the long run – the benefits of which should effectively be shared amongst all EU consumers, including consumers in Member States that are dependent on cross-border markets, like Malta.
The discussions on the Electricity Market Design are set to continue in the coming weeks and months.
Meanwhile, Energy Ministers agreed to extend for another year the regulation on coordinated gas demand reduction for gas. This aims to reduce EU dependency on Russian gas and prepare for the forthcoming winter season. Malta had successfully negotiated a derogation from a European Commission proposal that imposed a 15% reduction in demand for natural gas. This derogation was necessary as Malta is heavily dependent on electricity, and any mandatory reduction would have had a negative impact on families and businesses. Through this extension regulation, Malta has negotiated to retain its derogation.
Ministers also reached a position on the gas and hydrogen package. The proposals seek to facilitate the penetration of renewable and low-carbon gases into the energy system, enabling a shift away from natural gas and allowing these new gases to play their role towards the goal of EU climate neutrality in 2050.
Wasal iż-żmien biex nassiguraw li l-prezzijiet tal-enerġija ma jibqgħux dipendenti fuq il-prezzijiet tal-gass – Il-Ministru Miriam Dalli
Matul il-laqgħa tal-Kunsill tal-Ministri tal-Enerġija Ewropej, il-Ministru għall-Ambjent, l-Enerġija u l-Intrapriża Miriam Dalli saħqet fuq il-pożizzjoni ta’ Malta li l-prezzijiet tal-elettriku ma jibqgħux marbuta ma’ dawk tal-gass. Bħalissa, il-prezzijiet tal-elettriku huma stabbiliti minn suq li l-prezzijiet tiegħu jingħalqu siegħa b’siegħa, li normalment jiġi determinat mill-elettriku ġġenerat mill-impjanti tal-gass, u għalhekk il-prezzijiet tal-gass.
Fil-Kunsill tal-Enerġija, ġew diskussi proposti ġodda mill-Kumissjoni Ewropea għal tfassil ġdid tas-suq tal-elettriku, gass u l-idroġenu u d-domanda tal-gass.
Dwar il-proposta għal tfassil ġdid tas-suq tal-elettriku, il-Ministru Dalli insistiet fuq il-bżonn ta’ din ir-riforma hekk kif Stati bħal Malta jiffaċċjaw prezzijiet għolja tal-elettriku minħabba l-mod ta’ kif jopera s-suq Ewropew. Grazzi għall-miżuri implimentati mill-Gvern Malti, il-konsumaturi Maltin huwa protetti minn din il-bidla eżorbitanti fil-prezzijiet.
Il-Ministru Dalli saħqet fuq l-importanza ta’ reviżjoni li tassigura prezzijiet stabbli u li tiggarantixxi sigurtà tal-provvista fit-tul – fejn jibbenefikaw minnhom konsumaturi Ewropej, inkluż dawk l-Istati Membri, bħal Malta, li huma dipendenti fuq swieq ta’ pajjiżi oħra.
Id-diskussjonijiet fuq it-tfassil tas-suq tal-elettriku huma mistennija li jkomplu fil-ġimghat u x-xhur li ġejjin.
Sadanittant, il-Ministri tal-Enerġija qablu li jestendu għal sena oħra r-regolamenti fuq it-tnaqqis tal-użu tal-gass. Din se twassal għat-tnaqqis fid-dipendenza tal-UE fuq il-gass Russu u preparazzjoni għall-istaġun xitwi li jmiss. Malta kienet innegozjat b’suċċess deroga minn proposta tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea li kienet imponiet tnaqqis fid-domanda bi 15%. Din id-deroga kienet bżonnjuża minħabba li Malta hija dipendenti ħafna fuq l-elettriku, u kull tnaqqis mandatorju kien ikollu impatt negattiv fuq il-familji u n-negozji. Anke fl-estensjoni ta’ dan ir-regolament, Malta innegozjat biex iżżomm id-deroga.
Il-ministri Ewropej tal-enerġija laħqu l-pożizzjoni tagħhom fuq pakkett tal-gass u l-idroġenu. Dawn il-proposti għandhom l-għan li jiffaċilitaw id-dħul ta’ sistemi t’enerġija rinnovabbli u gass, li jwasslu għal qabża mill-gass naturali għall-gassijiet ġodda li għandhom rwol importanti biex jintlahqu l-miri tal-UE għan-newtralità l-klima sal-2050.