Interconnector to be shut down for three days

 The interconnector linking Malta to the European energy grid will be shut down for three days while cables are rerouted as part of works to develop a second undersea link.

Enemalta has reassured customers that energy supply will remain stable during that period, with the Delimara power station used to satisfy demand.

“The necessary electricity demand will be fully met through local generation at the Delimara power station, which has sufficient capacity and operational flexibility to reliably support the country’s needs.”, said Enemalta Executive Chairman Ryan Fava.

Interconnect Malta, the state entity leading the project to develop a second interconnector, did not say when the planned shutdown would occur but instead said it would take place “during suitable operational windows to minimise any potential impact on the national grid.”

The interconnector shutdown is necessary as part of works to develop a second undersea interconnector. An Italian company, Terna Energy Solutions Srl, will soon start installing hybrid switchgear in Ragusa, having  completed the 220kV reactor’s foundations.

“These civil works will require certain IC1 control cables to be rerouted from the area where a new hybrid switchgear will be installed,” Interconnect Malta said. The first interconnector, dubbed IC1, will be shut down for three days to allow for that safe rerouting.

“The hybrid switchgear will be installed to connect a new spare 220kV shunt reactor to either IC1 or IC2 when a dedicated cable-connected shunt reactor needs to be placed out of service,” Interconnect Malta said.

Work will also begin to build the housing for a fire‑water tank that will form part of the site’s fire safety systems.

Energy Minister Miriam Dalli said the second interconnector project was part of a broader strategy to strengthen the country’s energy framework. She cited work to upgrade distribution networks and a project to develop large-scale battery storage for renewable energy as other parts of that strategy.

Interconnect Malta Executive Director Steve Farrugia said the shutdown has been planned in full coordination with Enemalta.

The second interconnector project, IC2, is intended to double the amount of energy Malta can purchase from the European electricity grid, reducing reliance on locally generated fossil fuel power. The project is co‑financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

It consists of a new 122km long, 225MW electrical cable  linking Magħtab and Ragusa, Sicily, running in parallel to the existing interconnector, which began operating in 2015.

The project was first announced in 2021, with an original completion date set for 2025. The Planning Authority approved a permit for the project in January 2024, with Italian authorities issuing a development permit in December of that year.