Updated 5.10pm, adds PN statement

A one-time compensation  of up to €110 is to be distributed to households that experienced power cuts of at least six hours between July 17 and 27, the government said.

Businesses will also be getting a one-time ex gratia payment equivalent to one-month consumption, calculated on the actual average consumption of that account in June, July and August 2022.

Back in July, power outages persisted for around 10 nights with residents of various localities reporting unusually long interruptions, in some cases of more than 24 hours.

The Energy Ministry said the one-time payment is being given due to the sustained and unprecedented heatwave that averaged more than 40 degrees Celsius, affecting the electricity distribution system.

Residential accounts that had their supply interrupted for over six hours cumulatively during the period will automatically receive a credit to their utility bills based on the average consumption of households during the corresponding three-month period of last year.

The credit will be equivalent to the average monthly consumption of households and will increase according to the hours of interrupted service. 

It will be provided automatically for those accounts Enemalta’s information system identified as impacted. 

The residential accounts will start to be credited in the second week of October.

They will be notified through a letter through ARMS, to be sent out in the coming days.

In case of exceptional faults during this same period, affected customers may apply for compensation through an online application on the ARMS website. The application opens on October 9.

Enemalta and ARMS, as the billing agency, will carry out a validation exercise before issuing the credit.

Although domestic accounts are not included automatically, the owners of summer residences that were being used during this period and which experienced over six hours or more of interrupted service, may also apply via the online application form.

The compensation is open until December 31.

Helpline 8000 2024 has also been set up to further support customer. Queries can also be sent by e-mail to creditquery@arms.com.mt.

Business accounts

Business accounts that experienced an interruption in electricity supply for over six hours cumulatively between July 17 and 27 are also eligible for a one-time ex gratia payment.

Those with a commercial account will be entitled to an ex gratia payment equivalent to one-month consumption calculated on the actual average consumption of that account in June, July and August 2022.

The amount increases gradually depending on the number of hours impacted, capped at a maximum of €10,000 per account.

The scheme will be operated in collaboration with Malta Enterprise and was discussed with all relevant stakeholders who supported it.

Businesses that experienced an interruption are to apply online, on electricitypayment.maltaenterprise.com and a validation exercise by Enemalta and ARMS will be carried out.

The application for non-residential accounts opens on September 29. The application form is open until December 31.

For any queries related to non-residential accounts, customers can call on 8000 2024 or email: creditquery@arms.com.mt .

The Energy Ministry said it was also looking at encouraging more businesses and households to be part of the green transition.

Following discussions with the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry, the Chamber of SMEs, the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association, the Association of Catering Establishments and the Malta Employers Association, it was agreed that business representatives and the government will work together to encourage more businesses to be energy-efficient and green their business operations.

Stakeholders shared a general consensus to work together to help future-proof businesses for climate change eventualities. 

PN statement

In a statement, the Nationalist Party welcomed the compensation saying it had requested this a few weeks ago.

It said such compensation should be automatic.

The regulator, the PN said, should make the operator, in this case Enemalta, automatically give compensation to all those suffering supply interruptions of six hours or longer, as was done in European countries and as the PN proposed a few weeks ago.

The PN also said the government should clearly say whether it, or Enemalta, was giving the compensation. Enemalta was one-third owned by Shanghai Electric.