Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi said this morning that quick action taken over inferior quality concrete found in a small number of concrete foundation piles at the new power station was in sharp contrast with what had taken place at Mater Dei Hospital.

Dr Mizzi said in TV comments that six of 260 concrete piles being laid at Delimara for the new power station had been found to have inferior quality concrete.

The concrete, he said, was not as weak as that found at Mater Dei, but Siemens, which is providing the equipment for the new gas-fired plant, immediately ordered its sub-contractor to crush the defective piles in the presence of its officials.

This, he said was a positive development in that it showed how quick action was taken and defective concrete was immediately removed.

At Mater Dei, he said, more than half the concrete used in the first half 1996 had been found to be inferior, and it was still retained.

Meanwhile, construction company Polidano has categorically denied reports that it had links to the weak concrete. The group’s lawyer, Jean Paul Sammut, said Polidano was only responsible for drilling for the piles. Other contractors supplied the concrete.