Enemalta has issued a call for tenders, valued at €1.4 million, for the transport of standby generators across Malta and Gozo in case of power cuts.  

The company has been increasingly resorting to generators to temporarily restore power to communities during power outages. They are hooked up to substations to provide power to consumers until normal supply is restored. 

The contract is set for an initial period of two years, with a possible one-year extension.

Over the past two summers, but particularly in 2023, Enemalta struggled to maintain power distribution in times of peak demand. 

Last July, Enemalta chairman Ryan Fava said Enemalta had deployed 14 diesel-powered generators during a series of power cuts amid a heatwave.  He described them as safe temporary fixes.

The call for tenders requires transport of up to 11 generators of varying capacities, including 2 x 50kVA, 2 x 250kVA, 2 x 450kVA, and 5 x 1.1MVA.

Most are based  at Enemalta’s Marsa headquarters. Two are in Xewkija. 

While some of the generators are towable, six of the generators must be loaded on the rented vehicles at the beginning of the contract only to be unloaded once the lease expires.

Enemalta has stipulated that the transportation service must be available at all hours, including weekends and public holidays. File Photo.

The successful bidder will be responsible for transporting the generators and their associated low-voltage cables to various locations across Malta and Gozo within three hours of receiving an instruction.

The transportation includes the delivery, loading, and unloading of the generators and ensuring they are secure and ready for operation upon arrival. 

The transportation service must be available at all hours, including weekends and public holidays, to handle emergency power generation needs.

“The contract will be awarded to the tenderer submitting the cheapest priced offer”, provided it satisfies the administrative and technical criteria.

The tender outlines strict criteria for the transportation vehicles, which must be manufactured no later than 2017. 

The vehicles must have adequate payload capacities to carry the generators safely, considering their size and weight. 

All vehicles must be open-type to ensure that the generators do not overheat during transport, and they must allow adequate clearance around the generators for the easy placement of low-voltage cables.

The contractor will be responsible for complying with all local regulations, including safety and environmental standards. 

They will also be liable for any damages caused during loading, transit, or unloading and will need to ensure that the vehicles are certified for transporting hazardous materials as per EU and Maltese regulations

If a generator is not delivered within the stipulated time, the contractor will be penalised €100 per hour.

Repeated delays could lead to termination of the contract.

The tender allows for modifications up to 30% of the contract value for any unforeseen additional services or repetition of services, with an additional 20% cap on new services required during the contract's execution.

Interested parties must submit their bids by 31st October 2024, with clarifications due by 15th October 2024. 

Times of Malta reached out to Enemalta for comment but no replies were forthcoming.