Contractors join the weather to cause power cuts

Saturday's power cuts in the south of the island were caused by a contractor who accidentally hit a high voltage cable, the second such incident in the space of a week, Enemalta Corporation said yesterday.

Soaring temperatures were not always to blame for the blackouts, even though a new record demand for electricity in summer was registered once again last Friday, a spokesman for Enemalta said.

In fact, the highest demand ever for power in summer was recorded last Friday when 388 megawatts were drained out of the power stations, just seven MW short of the all time high recorded on a cold day last February.

A contractor who was working at the Dowty factory in Hal-Far was to blame for Saturday's cuts, leaving residents in areas including Zurrieq, Mqabba, Safi and Hal Far baking in the summer heat.

Contacted yesterday, Enemalta spokesman Eric Vella said the accident happened at 2.58 p.m. but the contractor did not report the matter before 4.15 p.m. Corporation workers started restoring power by 5 p.m. though some areas remained without electricity until 8.45 p.m.

A similar incident was reported last Thursday when a contractor accidentally struck a cable wire during roadworks, prompting cuts in parts of Msida and Birkirkara.

Last May, a private contractor damaged an 11kV underground power cable while carrying out works at Msida seafront, disrupting the power supply to parts of Hamrun, Guardamangia, Sta Venera, Msida and Ta' Xbiex.

And in April an Enemalta 33kV underground power cable was accidentally damaged in Sta Venera, disrupting electricity services in Qormi, Mriehel, parts of Birkirkara, San Gwann industrial estate, Balzan, Lija and parts of Attard.

In such instances, Enemalta bills the contractor for the cost of the damage, and legal proceedings will be taken if payment is not received.

Mr Vella said that in such cases contractors' failure to report the damage was the main reason for prolonged power cuts.

The power cuts are sending shock waves among many who believe the power system is strained to the limit due to the overwhelming increase in the use of air-conditioners.

Bugibba, St Paul's Bay and Qawra residents will be relieved to know that the new electricity cable between Targa Gap and Burmarrad, recently the cause of power cuts, started operating as from 5 a.m. yesterday.