Enemalta invested in 146 new or upgraded substations in the last two years, as it prepares to augment its investment in the electricity distribution network in 2024, to continue improving the quality of electricity services across Malta and Gozo.

Minister for the Environment, Energy and Infrastructure Miriam Dalli discussed the implementation of this plan with Enemalta management and employees during a visit to the final works of another substation upgrade at Dingli. Through these works, Enemalta is doubling the capacity of one of the principal substations in this locality with a new transformer to increase network capacity and flexibility in the area.

Minister Miriam Dalli explained that Enemalta needs to keep accelerating its investments in the country’s electricity infrastructure to continue to meet the requirements of Malta’s economic and social development.

“Enemalta operates more than 1,650 substations to distribute electricity in all localities. Through the new and upgraded substations, we are increasing network capacity and introducing more efficient technologies, such as remote switching systems, which help Enemalta engineers and technicians respond to network emergencies quicker, without having to physically travel from one place to another to shift to alternative network connections. Along with investments in other parts of the national grid, these reinforcements will continue to improve electricity services to families and businesses,” Minister Miriam Dalli said.

The Minister reminded that this investment is continuing in the new year. “Last summer we promised that investment in the electricity infrastructure will double in 2024. We are going even further, as we allocated more than three times the investment originally planned, with a total of €55 million for Malta’s electricity generation and distribution systems.”

Enemalta Executive Chairperson Ing. Ryan Fava explained that 2024 will see the development of circa 45 more new substations, while another 40 will be upgraded with new switchgear panels and uprated transformers.

“We are also working hard to increase the 11-kilovolt cable connections between these substations, as well as the 400/230-volt feeders distributing electricity from substations to our customers. We want to have more of these connections, so that when difficulties arise, we will have more resources to help our customers without delay. This is why we are also joining forces with Infrastructure Malta and Transport Malta to lay some 70 kilometres of 11-kilovolt cables in the next six months,” Ing. Fava said.

Enemalta is also planning other projects that will be implemented in coming years, including new distribution centres in Naxxar and Siggiewi, a rehaul of the Msida Distribution Centre and the upgrading of the St Andrew’s Distribution Centre in Pembroke. Preparatory works for these projects are already underway. A call for offers for the development of the Naxxar Distribution Centre was published last week.

Another important project is the new 132-kilovolt cable link between the Malta-Italy Interconnector’s terminal at Maghtab and the Mosta Distribution Centre. This investment will double the connections between the Interconnector and the local network, while paving the way for Interconnector 2, the second subsea connection with mainland Europe which is being developed by Interconnect Malta.

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