Enemalta and Infrastructure Malta laying 70 kilometres of new underground cables

Enemalta is collaborating with Infrastructure Malta, Transport Malta and many local councils to add more than 70 kilometres of new underground 11-kilovolt cables to the national grid in the coming months, the government said. The roadwork to lay these cables started towards the end of last month.

The three entities are currently coordinating works in Dingli, Mtarfa, Mosta, Naxxar, Kirkop, Zurrieq, Cospicua, Żabbar, Kalkara, Gudja, Ta’ Qali and Xgħajra. Other workers will be mobilised to start network upgrades in several other localities in Malta and Gozo in the coming weeks.

The Minister for the Environment, Energy and Regeneration of the Grand Harbour Miriam Dalli, the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works Chris Bonett and Dingli mayor Raymond Schembri met some of the 100+ workers engaged on these projects during a visit to ongoing cable laying works in Dingli.

Minister Dalli reminded that last summer, the government pledged to double its 2024 investment in Malta’s electricity infrastructure to continue improving the quality of electricity services to families and businesses and to meet the requirements of climate change and future demand.

“Enemalta, Infrastructure Malta and Transport Malta are pooling resources to add a record length of new cables to the network within a few months, almost four times as many kilometres of cables as those added in the last two years. This important reinforcement is creating more alternative connections between different parts of the country, reducing the risk of supply disruptions to our customers, while facilitating quicker restoration when difficulties arise,” Dalli said.

“Together with other ongoing and upcoming projects, including new distribution centres and substations, this investment will contribute to more reliable electricity services,” she added.

Minister Bonett expressed his satisfaction with how this project, in collaboration between the three entities, is ensuring the implementation of the government’s pledge to double the investment in electricity infrastructure.

“We are investing in priorities that focus on the needs of the people by strengthening the resilience and security of the supply of the electricity network. Works will continue to gather pace in the coming months and we are making sure that this joint operation by Enemalta, Infrastructure Malta and Transport Malta is coordinated in the best possible way to reduce inconveniences to the public,” said Bonett.

In addition to the 11-kilovolt cable project, Enemalta is also continuing with the implementation of a six-year plan launched in 2022 to reinforce all levels of the country’s electricity distribution infrastructure. As part of this plan, in 2024 it will commission another 45 new substations and upgrade several existing ones.

Preparations for two new distribution centres, one in Naxxar and another one in Siggiewi, are well underway. The call for offers for the new distribution centre in Naxxar was issued last month. Another call for offers for the upgrading of the Msida Distribution Centre was also issued in December. Enemalta also plans to increase the capacity of the St Andrew’s Distribution Centre and develop two new distribution centres in the Dingli and Cottonera areas.

Enemalta executive chairman Ryan Fava, Infrastructure Malta CEO Ivan Falzon and Transport Malta director for Road Works within Permits Unit Edric Micallef accompanied Minister Bonett and Minister Dalli during the visit.