Faulty switchboard triggered power cuts

The power cuts that affected various parts of the island on Tuesday evening resulted from a faulty switchboard at the Freeport distribution centre that in turn tripped the machines at the Delimara power station.

Enemalta Corporation said yesterday that at about 7.15 p.m. an electrical breakdown occurred in the 33kV switchboard of the Freeport distribution centre, which is supplied directly by the Delimara power station and supplies electricity to Birzebbuga and Marsaxlokk besides the Freeport.

The fault caused the Delimara power station generators' protection system to trip the machines and, as a result, the electricity supply was disrupted in various parts of Malta and Gozo.

In the meantime action was taken to restart Delimara power station and to man the critical distribution centres so as to restore supply, Enemalta said.

At about 8 p.m. various localities in the south of Malta were re-supplied. As more power became available from Delimara, all other areas except Birzebbuga, which is supplied from the Freeport distribution centre, were re-supplied gradually by 10 p.m.

Action was also taken to isolate the faulty switchboard and the supply was restored to all the remaining localities by 1.45 a.m.

Temporary repairs were completed during the night and other work is currently underway to repair the switchboard, Enemalta said.