Enemalta updates MCESD on accelerated electricity infrastructure investments

During a meeting held recently Enemalta presented an update on the implementation of its plan to reinforce Malta’s electricity infrastructure to the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD) with the participation of the Minister for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli.

The meeting followed another which was held four months ago, when the government announced plans to double its 2024 electricity infrastructure investment to continue preparing the country for the impacts of global warming and other extreme weather conditions caused by climate change.

“When we met we promised to double the investment in electricity infrastructure. Not only are we fulfilling that commitment, but we have more than tripled the investment. We have also been actively advancing the work in the distribution system. This effort will further intensify in the coming months through collaboration between Enemalta, Infrastructure Malta and Transport Malta,” claimed Minister Dalli.

Minister Dalli explained that Enemalta is working to accelerate all planned short-, mediumand long-term network upgrades. While several works are in progress, this week the company issued a call for offers for the development of a new distribution centre in Naxxar. Plans for several other major projects are also underway.

"The government is channelling more local and EU funds to continue investing in our electricity infrastructure to increase capacity, improve network redundancy, augment security of supply and prepare for upcoming green energy projects,” Minister Dalli said.

The minister added that the government is also working to launch Malta’s first call for private investments in offshore renewable energy in 2024 and to launch Malta’s first grid-scale battery storage systems, as part of its plan to decarbonise the energy sector. Preparations for the second subsea electricity interconnection with mainland Europe are at an advanced stage as well.

Enemalta Executive chairman Ing. Ryan Fava explained that in the next six months, Enemalta will be laying over 70 kilometres of medium-voltage underground cables, four times the length of cables added to the network during the last two years. This work is being coordinated with the support of Infrastructure Malta and Transport Malta.

More than 70km extension of the national grid will add more alternative connections between different nodes of the network to facilitate quicker service restoration in cases of difficulty.

In the meantime, next year the company will also continue to implement its sixyear plan, with the commissioning of another 45 new substations and the upgrading of several existing ones, as well as the addition of newer 400/230V feeders.

“These network investments will help Enemalta increase network flexibility, reduce the risks of supply interruptions to its customers, while securing additional alternative connections to speed up service restoration when such difficulties arise,” Ing. Fava said.

The company will also continue preparations for other major projects that will be completed in the coming years, including a new 132kilovolt link between the Maghtab Interconnector Terminal and the Mosta Distribution Centre, to consolidate the principal connections between the Malta-Italy Interconnector and the local electricity distribution network. It is also planning two new distribution centres, one in Naxxar and another one in Siggiewi, as well as the upgrading of the existing distribution centres in Msida and St Andrew’s (Pembroke).

Currently Enemalta is energising 80 new substations. It also completed 66 substation upgrades and installed 145 new 400/230V feeders in different localities. The company also upgraded its distribution centres in Marsascala, Tarxien and Mriehel, to increase their capacity.