Updated 4.35, adds PL statement

Power cuts which hundreds of households suffered in the past few days were the result of the government having focused on building a corruption-ridden power station instead of upgrading the distribution system, the Nationalist Party said on Wednesday.

At the time when the people most needed a power supply, the government delivered darkness and soaring temperatures, shadow minister Ryan Callus said. 

The government had spent less on upgrading the distribution network in the past two years than the millions it saved Electrogas in taxes. Electrogas is the company behind the new power station. 

Callus said consumers were also unable to benefit from cheaper electricity because rather than use the interconnector for its supply, the government was bound to buy electricity at higher rates from Electrogas.

He noted that electricity outages were being experienced even though the population had not risen through the usual influx of tourists. What would the situation have been if tourism was at the usual levels? 

Callus reiterated the PN's promise, when in power, to upgrade the distribution system and balance it to avoid problems of surges or low voltage in several localities. 

Amount of cuts only half those under last PN administration - PL

But in a statement later, the Labour Party said current interruptions in the electricity supply were only half the amount there was under the last Nationalist administration.

The Nationalist government had also burdened families and businesses with the highest rates ever, the PL said.

This was because the government was investing more in the energy sector.

Had it been for the PN, the government would not have stopped investing. Because of the large economic growth the country had seen this would have meant whole villages without electricity for long periods.

The government, the PL said, had invested €130 million in distribution in seven years and will continue to invest more millions for the people to get the service they deserve at lower prices.