The Energy Ministry has said that a compensation system for those affected by the recent spate of power cuts will be operated once again this summer.
Responding to criticism from the Nationalist Party, the Energy Ministry noted that while the Leader of the Opposition says he wants to meet with the MCESD to discuss the challenges in the energy sector, the Minister for the Environment, Energy, and the Regeneration of the Grand Harbour, Miriam Dalli, “has already met and will continue to meet with the MCESD to discuss solutions, including the largest investment in the electricity distribution in our country.”
The social partners were, are, and will continue to be updated on the investment being made in our country’s distribution system, in meetings attended by technicians, the ministry said.
“This is because responsibility demands that we continue investing in better infrastructure for today and the future, as this government is doing,” it added.
The ministry said that the Leader of the Opposition also referred to compensation when the social partners were involved in the compensation system that has already been devised and will be implemented again this summer.
Meanwhile, as explained by Minister Miriam Dalli and Enemalta’s management in a press briefing last Saturday, this year 82 kilometres of underground cables have already been laid, and 32 new substations have been built. At the same time, work has been done on 36 transformers in substations, and 22 switchgears have been replaced in different substations. This is part of an intensive plan that aims to continue building on the reforms in the energy sector in recent years.
The ministry noted that in the first phase of this investment, work was carried out in the areas of Wied il-Għajn, Kalkara, Bormla, Birgu, Żurrieq, Ħal Safi, Ħal Kirkop, Ħal Far, Ħad Dingli, Ħaż-Żebbuġ, Ħal Luqa, Rabat, Mosta, and Naxxar in Malta. In Gozo, work was carried out in Qala, Sannat, Nadur, Xlendi, and part of Marsalforn.
In the second phase of the works that have already begun, work will be carried out from Marsa to Siġġiewi and Ħaż-Żebbuġ, Ħaż-Żabbar and Ricasoli, San Ġwann, San Ġiljan, Gżira, Sliema, Ħ’Attard, Birkirkara, Ħamrun, and Santa Venera, Fgura, Mellieħa, Buġibba, and Qawra in Malta. While in Gozo, work continued in Marsalforn and Xagħra, and reinforcement work will be carried out in Għarb, Kerċem, Għasri, San Lawrenz, and Rabat, Gozo.
Between 2022 and 2023, 80 new substations were built, 18km of Medium Voltage Reinforcements were completed, 44 switchgear replacements were made, 22 transformer upgrades were carried out, and 145 feeders were added, among others.
There was also an extension of distribution centres in Marsascala, Imrieħel, and Ħal-Tarxien. As part of another phase of investment in distribution, new distribution centres will be built in Siġġiewi and Naxxar.
“A responsible government offers solutions as it has done in recent years when, in the face of international crises, it kept energy bills stable, as it did regarding energy supply with the completion of a new LNG power station, the completion of the first interconnector, and the ongoing work on the second interconnector,” the ministry said.
The Ministry noted that there was also a significant increase in energy generation from renewable sources, which now needs to be complemented by investment in Battery Energy Storage Systems.
All of this is part of a plan for the sector that the government will continue to work on and implement.