Updated with PN statement at 5.10pm

Half the island would end up with no electricity if Simon Busuttil was in power, the Labour Party charged this morning, as it capitalised on the record demand for power during the cold spell. 

Dr Busuttil continued insisting there was no need for a new power station - this would not only have meant the continued use of heavy fuel oil and higher tariffs, but the country would have to face 700 hours with no electricity, the PL claimed in a statement. 

The statement comes days after the European Commission gave its approval to the controversial new power station, a thumbs up which was soundly criticised by the Nationalist Party. 

"Simon Busuttil does not have a plan for the energy sector and simply wants to turn the clock back," the PL said. 

No amount of lies will change the truth on corruption - PN

In a reply, the Nationalist Party said that no amount of lies would change the truth on government corruption.

It said that although Joseph Muscat had been Prime Minister for four years, he had still not done anything in the energy sector to reduce prices and pollution.

All there was so far were Nationalist government projects, including the interconnector, and it was through these projects and the drop in the price of oil that the country deserved better rates.

Dr Muscat, the PN said, was lying to defend his corrupt deals in the sector, which he managed together with two people close to him who were caught with secret companies in Panama, set up for graft amounting to a million euros a year.