Last Updated on Saturday, 24 February, 2024 at 11:50 am by Andre Camilleri
Enemalta issued a call for tenders for the development of the Siġġiewi Distribution Centre, a new node of the national grid to reinforce electricity services to customers in this region, the government said Saturday.
The Siġġiewi Distribution Centre is one of four new distribution centres that Enemalta is commissioning in coming years as part of its six-year network reinforcement plan for better quality electricity services in Malta and Gozo.
The new distribution centre will introduce increased capacity and reliability in the electricity network supplying Siġġiewi, Żebbuġ, Qormi, Żurrieq, Qrendi, Mqabba and many nearby areas.
The Minister for the Environment, Energy and the Regeneration of the Grand Harbour Miriam Dalli highlighted the importance of this investment whilst visiting Enemalta technicians and engineers during a maintenance and testing operation at one of the Company’s distribution centres in Kirkop.
“Through its six-year plan, Enemalta is working to consolidate electricity distribution infrastructure in all localities in Malta and Gozo, to continue improving the quality and reliability of its electricity services. Economic growth, climate change, increased electrification, and the rapid deployment of many grid-connected renewables by families and businesses are necessitating a more resilient grid with greater capacity and flexibility. To reinforce this vital utility, we are allocating a threefold increase in electricity generation and distribution infrastructure investments in 2024, reaching €55 million”, Minister Dalli said.
Enemalta Executive Chairman Ryan Fava explained that the new Siġġiewi Distribution Centre will include two 30 MVA transformers, two switchgear rooms and other control and protection equipment. Its development will also increase network flexibility in other parts of Malta by relieving the load on the distribution centres currently supplying Siggiewi and surrounding localities, including the ones at Kirkop, Ħal Far, Mosta and Marsa (South).
Procurement and planning processes for the development of the new Naxxar Distribution Centre are at an advanced stage as well. Enemalta has already laid more than 18 kilometres of the 30 kilometres required to supply this distribution centre and to connect it to substations in Naxxar, Mosta, Għargħur and nearby areas. In December, Enemalta issued another call for offers to upgrade the Msida Distribution Centre with new switchgear, transformers and other equipment. The Company also plans to increase the capacity of the St Andrew’s Distribution Centre. Works to extend the Bugibba Distribution Centre with new switchgear panels are currently in progress as well.
Meanwhile, in a separate project launched in December, Enemalta is laying more than 70 kilometres of new 11-kilovolt cables in different localities to increase alternative connections that will reduce the risks of network disruptions while facilitating quicker restoration of service when such difficulties arise.
In two months, the Company has already laid 29 kilometres of underground cables, with 70 cable joints to connect them to different distribution centres and substations. Cable laying in Cospicua, Fgura and Kirkop is ready. Works are currently in progress in Dingli, Rabat, Żurrieq, Mosta, Naxxar, Xgħajra, Kalkara, Għaxaq, Gudja, Ħal Far and Żabbar. Trenching and cable laying works in Nadur and other localities will start in coming weeks.
