Works are underway to lay some 60km of new underground electricity cables through a joint effort between Enemalta, Infrastructure Malta and Transport Malta. 

The medium-voltage cables will strengthen the distribution system in 21 different localities. 

Some 20 per cent of the work, which began this month, has already been completed, according to Enemalta.

In a press briefing on Thursday, Enemalta CEO Ryan Fava said last year the entity had planned to lay some 70km of new cables but ultimately ended up laying over 80km, most of which went to localities hit by the marathon powercuts during the summer of 2023. 

A lot of work was put into upgrading these areas from a ring system to a webbing system, which means that the work will serve to reinforce the surrounding areas of the location. 

Fava said that much of the work achieved this past year was meant to be spread over six years, but thanks to collaboration between the three entities, had managed to be completed in a span of six months. 

He also added that the work had significantly reduced summertime power cuts, noting that while there had been some 1,442 hours of power outages in July 2023, this had been reduced to 460 hours in July this year. 

Enemalta had planned to commission 45 new substations this year but ended up building 54 new substations while carrying out upgrade works to another 76 substations. 

The company also saw the connection of 166 new low-voltage feeders to the network and the connection of 47 kilometres of 400V/230V aerial lines. 

These help provide alternative connections in case of supply interruptions, Fava said. 

In 2025 Enemalta will begin work on two new distribution centers in Naxxar and Siġġiewi, while work will also start on expanding distribution centres in Pembroke and Msida.

Preparatory work is also being carried out for the second interconnector between Malta and Sicily - including increasing the 132-kilovolt link between the terminal station in Magħtab and the distribution centre in Mosta and the extension of switchgear at one of the distribution centres in Marsa, in preparation for a battery storage facility.

"We will continue working to strengthen the distribution system in the coming months, just as we did in the past few months, and prepare the electricity distribution network for the future,” Fava said.

“We will do this by laying 60 kilometres of new underground cables in various locations. Through these new cables, we are increasing the resilience and flexibility of our network, ensuring that supply can be restored in the shortest possible time if any damage occurs.

"While I thank all the workers involved in these projects, I also thank the residents of these areas for their cooperation during this period.”

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.