Only One Substation Caught Fire During Heat Wave Out Of 1,600

Enemalta has confirmed that only one electricity substation caught fire during the recent heatwave out of 1,600, with the incident taking place in St Julian's on Monday night.

During a press conference, the company explained that the fire is believed to have been caused by the exceptionally high temperatures, which led to electrical arcing, also known as sparking, within the substation.

The Civil Protection Department responded to the incident and brought the situation under control.

Enemalta stressed that this was the only substation fire recorded during the recent period of extreme demand on the electricity network.

The company said the unprecedented temperatures have driven electricity consumption to unusually high levels, placing considerable pressure on the national distribution network.

While some localities experienced faults and power cuts, Enemalta noted that areas where network reinforcement works have already been completed generally performed well under the increased demand.

However, the company acknowledged that the recent outages have highlighted the need for further investment in parts of the network that still require strengthening.

Enemalta said it has invested more than €3 million in new substations and reinforcement works to improve the resilience of the electricity network and support Malta's growing demand for power.

The company also thanked its employees for their continued work in restoring electricity supply and reminded customers experiencing individual electricity supply problems to contact the 24 hour Helpline 153.

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