All the major plant equipment for the extension of the power station is expected to be in Malta by May, Finance Minister Tonio Fenech said.

Speaking in Parliament, the minister said in reply to a parliamentary question that work on the extension started soon after the contract (with BWSC) was signed.

Most of the machinery has been fabricated and brought to Malta, he said. All the major equipment is expected to be here by May .

Mr Fenech said that since the process for the granting of permits took longer than expected, the work schedule had been adjusted and has since been followed.

Last week, the minister said that BWSC have so far been paid €111,930,630.94 for works related to the power station extension.

He could not say when the works would be completed, although it was a case of the sooner the better, since the Marsa power plant could be decommissioned earlier.

Marsa is due to be decommissioned next year.

The payments to the Danish company covered a down payment, the completed basic engineering, completion and shipment of structural steel, purchase of storage containers, upgrading of the site, completion and shipment of catalytic reducers, exhaust gas boilers and eight diesel gensets and major earthwork.

S&A Services Ltd were paid €16,869 for their services as environmental monitors.