“The ESG has campaigned for nine long years to see our aging and heavily polluting power stations replaced due to the severe air and noise pollution produced at each site as a by-product of the electricity generated.

This week’s news of a contract being awarded by Government with detailed breakdown of works involved, expected costs and timeline is brilliant news and something we have been waiting to hear for a long time. We hope that the schedule for completion is this time adhered to strictly and that the three power stations are closed and decommissioned without further delay, as soon as the new power station is operational. This would alleviate the long standing problems suffered by residents around the three power stations of heavy noise and pollution.

Clearly fossil fuel reliance for Gibraltar’s’ energy needs on a long-term basis is not a position supported by the ESG. The group sees the new power station as a critical and important step for immediate environmental and health benefits for the community and surrounding environment, but believes that once in place, the focus should move towards the sourcing of biofuel (such as biodiesel, waste vegetable oil, or natural gas from anaerobic breakdown of sewage and domestic waste) as fuel for the new power station, with which it could operate with little or no changes to its engines depending on the biofuel used.

Given the land restrictions and limited size of Gibraltar this might be a more viable short and medium term sustainable solution for energy production. The new power station can therefore also be part of the move to renewable energy production if it is operated with the right fuels and conditions.”