Wednesday, 18th November 2009 - 06:45CET
Police investigating power outage, power restored to all areas
Updated: Adds Enemalta chairman's statement, new video
Malta was without power this morning after an explosion at the Marsa power station. Enemalta said switchgear had developed a fault which caused a power interruption at Marsa and Delimara power stations.
Power was lost at 6.15 a.m. but supply to Mater Dei Hospital, Marsascala, Bulebel, Cospicua, Fgura, Sta Lucia, Gudja, Ghaxaq and parts of Zejtun, Tarxien and Valletta started being restored by 7.30 a.m. By 8.30 power was also restored to Marsa, Floriana, Tarxien and part of Birzebbuga.
70% of Malta had power restored by 9.30 a.m., and 85 per cent by 10 a.m.
Power was returned to all areas by 11 a.m.
Fire engines and an ambulance were seen at Marsa power station soon after the incident, but no one was injured and the situation was quickly brought under control as a fire was put out by an automatic system.
Enemalta is holding an inquiry. It apologised to clients for the inconvenience caused by the power cut.
The last time Malta suffered a power cut of this nature was in June, coincidentally on the day that Parliament was discussing the financial estimates of Enemalta. The corporation had concluded that the fault was caused by high temperature caused by a sensor failure.
Today's power cut took place a few hours after PBS broadcast an extensive interview with the Enemalta chairman, and a few hours before the Prime Minister is due to make his Budget speech in parliament.
Informed sources said the police have become involved in the inquiry into this morning's power outage. The area is being considered as being a crime scene. Court experts were also at the power station.
ENEMALTA CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT
Enemalta chairman Alex Tranter in a statement to the press shortly before Noon said that a magisterial inquiry and a police investigation were under way to determine the cause of the explosion. The corporation was offering all its assistance.
This, he said, was not the first time that such incidents happened while Enemalta was being discussed on television or in Parliament and he hoped that the police investigation would establish the facts. He said that Enemalta at this point could not comment further on the cause of the explosion.
He said that Enemalta was verifying the stability of the power output following the stress on the system caused by restoration of services.
Mr Tranter refused to take questions.
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Comments
The opinion of unidentified engineers saying that sabotage is UNLIKELY does not mean that there was no sabotage. Inability to prove that the outage was definitely the result of sabotage does not mean that there sabotage is excluded - only that it is unproven.
There is much too strong a reaction against referring the problem to the police. The lady ptotests too much!
So now we also have a professional statement, opposite to Mr. Tranter`s suppositional theory about the whole thing.... Therfore, IF the magisterial inquiry and the police investigations are still going on, i expect a CRYSTAL CLEAR AND SPEEDY CONCLUSION FROM BOTH...
Lets Wait and See........
1. the junker you are refering to are boilers and turbines 7 and 8. they are british made.
2. boilers and turbines 7 and 8 were not the cause for any of the last 3 black outs.
3. the cause of the recent black out was an old circuit breaker. why make comments if it's clear that you do not know the difference between a circuit breaker, a boiler and a turbine!
4. units 7 and 8 are still working regularly daily and the reason for enemalta to invest so heavily in delimara in the near future is that inspite of more than 30 years after these second hand junkers have been installed our country still depend heavily on them for regular electricity.
5. these junkers are far more efficient than the new indian tubines installed at delimara.
And what about the water suspension in Mtarfa which sometimes occurs more than once a week? I have written plenty of letters in the past year and still no reply... apart from my bill of course which has increased!
Coincidences? Tell it to the marines.
The problems in the past are well deserved of a sick nation.
Today's problems are a reminder of the past and how few things changed.
For instance, consider why they ended in all that crap load of problems (with an irresponsible government)? Now consider why there's all this incompetence in today's government.
And if it didn't occur to you, I'm not with or against a particular party, I challenge the Maltese political entities, whomever they are. For however countless political parties spring up, they're under the same falling roof, that of the Maltese citizens.
No use blaming politics/parties, the problem is one, and it's inside 90% of the population.
When your your uncle died no autopsy was done because some doctor certified that he had died from natural cause - not because of his venerable age.
a power staion for the third world..if anything is going to change in service and a modern high standard system and at a reasonable price for consumer then other providers should be allowed so competion is made,then standards will have to improve and we have a choice.the government should start thinking of us for a change
Enemalta is a goverment entity and therefore salaries and wages are paid out of our well earned tax money!
Furthermore NET tv in 8.00pm news bulletin states that " this happened just hours before the PM was going to talk on the budget this evening". Musical chairs
I PAY FOR A SERVICE!
AND I EXPECT TO GET IT TO THE LEAST CENT.
GET IT?
If it where tax, they'd (rightly) check till the least percentage. However, with rights come duties, which ARE NOT BEING KEPT.
get a life. we are in 2009 and have been in the EU for 5 years but we are becoming a third world country under GonziPn.
otherwise no tv for that evening due to low voltage...and that was everyday Mr Salnitro. Keep up your good work Mr.Tranter and if you suspect any malpractices, bring them to book and make them answer for the damage done to our country.
Let DOOM & GLOOM TV say what it wishes. People know that we are moving towards a better power plant & alternative energy sources. Nowadays, people inform themselves to get the true picture and laugh at the gloomy TV channel in malta.
Your claim that switchgear does not explode is proved wrong by Enemalta's own history. I've myself experienced switchgear explosions twice when I worked for Enemalta at Marsa Power Station. It is probably the same switchgear that should have been replaced about three years ago and is still in operation.
Call a spade a spade.
THIS GOVENMENT IS KAPUT PAROLE SOLTANTO PAROLE.
SAY WHAT YOU ALL SAY THE RESULTS SHOW FOR THEM SELFS.
SPEAK TO CICCU IL- POPLU AND YOU WILL KNOW.
Ma tahsibx li seklu huwa 1000 sena, u lanqas jekk jdum 1000 sena titlob biex tal lejbur qatt ma jkunu fil gvern mhu se jaghmlu 250 sena fl oppozizzjoni.
Time will tell who is wrong here.
Biex trid tiftahar bil gvern tighek, ghamel power station delimara state of the art qal u se tforni lil malta kollha, mnalla hemm tal marsa ghax kieku kuljum bla dawl. Hallina.
Maybe he learned the tactic from Joseph Muscat and his predecessor Dr. Sant?
A power blackout hit the Eastern United States and Eastern Canada for some e12 long hours not so long ago either. I was there, I know, I experiences it. One can hardly call the United States of America and Canada Eastern Bloc countries or South American Countries.
Malta would be a third World Country as you stated, if Successive PN Governments would have kept the old Junkers that Lejber Governments bought to provide Malta with its' Electricity and Communications needs.
When the PL was in Government had a choice about a Power Plant, it choose to buy an old JUNKER from Sicily instead of beginning the process to Modernising the country. It could also be said for the Telecommunication system. If it was for the PL, we wouldn't be commenting in here.
The very first thing that a PN Government did once elected was to throw away the old junk that the PL had purchased and equipped Malta with a state of the art communications system. Electricity and communications are two important pillars in attracting foreign investment. Something that successive Lejber Governments couldn't understand.
In Malta we are still paying the price for years of neglect by Lejber Government in the lack of investment in Malta's infrastructure.
Water Suspension - Sliema, area
Published on 18/11/2009
The water supply has been suspended as follows:
Area:
Sliema, Gzira, Ta' Xbiex, Madliena, Ibragg, Msida, Tal-Qroqq, San Gwann, Taz-Zwejt, Swieqi, Bahar ic-Caghaq, St. Julians & Paceville
Time started:
10:00am
Duration:
8 hrs
Reason:
Electricity Cut
SOURCE www.wsc.com.mt
dear friend stop moaning!!
cant you bear a few hours without water??
AND JUST FOR CURIOSITY
Although very unusual, a water cut may last longer than 24 hours. If this happens to you, you may phone on freephone 80072222 and they will send you a water tanker to refill your roof tank. This is a free service.
now if it takes 24 hours+ dont phone for the free water.
why do Gonzi Pn followers like yourself and Gonzi included..seem to be comparing us with countries like Latvia and Brazil lately...is that how you see Malta? an eastern block country or from south america?
Yes I can imagine the wall street stock exchange without electricity...iddahqunix tal pn. Gibtuh 3rd world country pajjizi jaqq.
You have absolutely no idea of what you are talking about.
Were I part of the workforce I would witdraw from the place until Mr Tranter clarifies his intention and assertions. Nobody would be able to work once Mr Tranter is talking in such a verve AGAINST THE WORKERS. I am right to say my opinion too.Could it not be that while walking about he tripped on something and inadvertently caused the damage.
Everything is possible these last few years even if it is not said seriously.
He is not so puerile to dish out an accustation without considering his words and facts.
Any one can comment but in that careless way.
Has he considered what that means if he is proved wrong.
1) it is not true tha Labour was against a new power station but against the location!!
2) so called PL elves do not need to comment on the budget. Joseph did a splendid job of that already last monday. now today we'll wait for the PM to deny the list of incompetences listed by Joseph Muscat.
SORRY, it does not exist any more in Malta!
You must be kidding me...!
Just listen guys.....don't let the media reporters fool you.....there's no such thing as the Marsa power station..! The Marsa power station was planned to be closed down as soon as the Delimara power station came into operation back in the mid 90s. Was that the promise of the PN government or maybe not....? Logically speaking then, there must be no Marsa power station and therefore NO EXPLOSION...!
While every possible cause should be investigated the mere reoccurence of an event does not necessarily imply that something foul has taken place as some commentators on this site are suggesting.
The Marsa power plant is old and no significant new investment to remove dependence on Marsa has been made during these last years. this lack of planning and investment is, imo, the likely cause of today's power cut.
And what will enemalta chairman do if it is proved that the fault is the result of an accident; considering he has so quickly come out and somewhat implying sabotage was an option? Will he just say he was wrong?
What are your qualifications exactly? I don’t think you are a power engineer because your technical knowledge on switchgears is totally incorrect.
Switchgears are high power devices. A major spark there is equivalent to an explosion. In fact that is what a switchgear is supposed to prevent.
Having said that the coincidences are certainly strange.
If it was sabotage or some political move I don't care who it was..and from which party and why...bring them to justice...who will refund my damaged electrical equipment now? What about emergency services like mother dei...and businesses with freezers...this needs to be resolved once and for all...enemalta should also be responsible for its workforce...and its equipment and plants..security is part of your job Mr.Tranter. Mux noqodu nippuntaw subajna..jekk jahsbu li xi haddiem ghamila...itfawlhom camera ux u oqodulom ghassa.
Majistratal and Police inquiry is immediately indicating to a SABOTAGE!
This cannot be a coincidence!. The switch gear does not explode, maybe it trips or generate a fault. An explosion of that dimension is sabotage! "This is not th first time that the switchgear explodes when Enemalta is being discussed in Parliament"
Please listen to the statement: The switchgear developed a fault because of an explosion, and not it exploded because of a fault!
Clearly the Police are looking at sabotage and we need the person/s tried under a Terrorist charges.
I hope that the police carries out a through investigation.
Why does he not simply say that the power plant is falling to pieces?
Also, can he disclose his annual salary to the taxpayers? No, he don't take questions.
Just tell it how it is Mr Tranter, were not all stupid and snuggle up to our party, we can see way beyond your dissolustioned press releases.
Time to wake up, get the link to sicily up and running and close down the Marsa station once and for all. it's 2010 in just over a month not 1980.
its better if we order candles instead!
Gonzi youd better think for other alternative electrical sources and how to update the current sytem rather how to try to expend money in non-sense things!
Mr. Tranter Enemalta is discussed almost everyday, mainly because of its inefficiencies and mismanagment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For your information Dr KMB wanted several small power stations around Malta and Gozo so as not to put all the eggs in one basket. hat's exactly the opposite of what you wrote. Mr Mintoff had objected against the Delimara power station because it was only made there because the PN wanted to get its revenge on Mintoff and Mr Baldacchino who had crossed the House from the PN side and had his villa there. The power could have been made elsewhere, but the PN wanted to get its revenge.
Those who suspected sabotage do you really understand what 33KV at the load current being taken at the time means? Just imagine what a small lightning strike would do and you would have an idea.
Time to smash the unions. Time to cancel the Enemalta board's bonuses. Time to bring Malta into the 21st century.
It is absolutely NOT TRUE that Dr K. Mifsud Bonnici was agains the building of the new power station. He, like almost everybody except the PN Gov, simply wanted it to be built in a place that did not spoil one of the most beautifu bays in Malta.
A bit more respect for the truth, pleae.
How much worse could be without the Delimara station? All 16 years of Socialist rule produced, was the conversion of oil fired Marsa station to coal. Enlargement/construction of a new bigger station was not even on the Socialist's horizon and if it were, was not delivered. Ditto for water supply which left the island with constant brown water, interminable interruptions and at the mercy of water tankers and people fighting to get enough, ala some corrupt third world African country!
Let's hope that the Police will get to the bottom of this not so 'coincidental explosion'. If indeed it proves to be sabotage, let me hear your comments then!
Well done! After the Police investigation, if the conclutions of such determines that this powercut farce is a result due to the old machinery etc. , will Mr. Tranter take full responsability and resign??? Or the usual lacl of accountability still reigns on this island?
so if it did work, than why all Malta was without power?
NEARLY 22 YEARS IN POWER AND WE HAVE A POWER STATION THAT COST MILLIONS WHICH CANNOT COPE WITH THE DEMANDS!!!
WHO PLANED IT !!! I JUST WONDER, REALLY THE GOVERNMENT SHOUL BE ASHAMED.
BAD PLANNING, JUST SHOWS WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE ARE RUNNING THIS COUNTRY.
TAL MISTHIJA KOLLHA MIN QIEGHED IMEXXI.
Oh Please!!!, Enemalta!!!. This is an insult!!!
Has however Enemalta thought that the recent auroras experienced in Iceland in the past few days may have an effect on the obsolete equipment due to cosmic rays and a possible solar storm hitting the earth. No...seriously!!!
enemalta is surely gaining from its monopolistic position. other companies should be allowed to enter our market because it is not fair that we dont have options from were to choose. either enemalta or no electricity!!!!! these are eu regulations.
this is not a serious service they are providing with all these blackouts in a single year and acidents.
The truth is that the power station at Marsa is absolete and even though we have a "NEW" power station in Delimara, we still need the one in Marsa to meet Malta's power demand, these are facts every one should know about now my questions are:-
1. Once we get connected to Sicily will Malta be paying higher rates than producing it's own energy? Will a feasibility study be carried out and on what criteria are we opting to get connected to Sicily?
2. What about alternative and green energy? The government is constantly boasting with the photovoltaic and solar water heaters incentives but what about the power generation for Malta?
3. Again the government always mentions the foreign investment that is brought to Malta, but what about the power needs? Is this being looked into? Will we have enough power to distribute to the companies that invest in Malta and this includes smart city?
The truth is that old obsolete and condemned switchgear is stil being used and our country is depending on such redundant technology.
The same sabotage claims were made when the last major power cut occurred...only for whoever made such claims (you do remember who it was don't you!) to have to retract them.
I find it hard to believe that this was a sabotage of sorts. If it was it should be condemned and whoever it was face the necessary punishment. But imho it is very likely the result of an outdated plant having to function beyond its useful life. This is just panic and an attempt to shift blame. The sabotage, if there was one, was perpetrated by those in charge of the corporation who shoudl have sought to invest sufficient funds to ensure that we do not depend on the old Marsa power station.
We have so many experts on this island, particularly those writing on here ! Unbeliavable!
I think it is premature for the Enemalta Chairman to link the breakdown with a TV Broadcast program which few hours before he was particpating in. Such an implication at this early stage does not augur well for a Top Manegment Official
It is syuch remarks that show the true face of the paper.
N.Agius
June - Parliament was discussing the financial estimates of Enemalta
November - Enemalta chairman Interview, and before the Prime Minister was due to make his Budget speech in parliament.
does this mean that after all those millions that the present government spent from our taxes on this hospital, there is no genarator in case of such an emergency??? if this is the case then this is very worrying.
If you cared to read the article before commenting, your would have got the answer to your first question.
@ All
In respect to an alternative source of Energy, Enemalta already started the process and once Malta is hooked to the European Grid these kind of problems should not occur.
I am surprise that none who have posted made a reference to this in mentioning an alternative Source of energy. Also, I find it quite strange, and I hope that it doesn't materialise that this was sabotage, no one mentioned that the accident of this morning is being treated as a possible CRIMINAL ACT.
It only goes to show that the Gloom and Doom crowd are quick to condemn the Government and it's entity at every chance without bothering to look at the facts first.
The same Gloom and Doom Crown wonder why the majority of the Maltese electorate shows no trust in the PL.
i dont think that we should be part of the EU just for the fines and deadlines but also for our right to choose our service provider and not use one company because that all we have!
Sabotage is more likely. Security at the Marsa station must be below par and anyone who intends to maliciously interfere with power knows where the weak link is. 'The area is being considered as being a crime scene'.
The two Power Stations feed the same grid so if one goes down, so will the other.
“The area is being considered as being a crime scene”.
This means something!
JC.
then think about all the other options etc.
I live in Qawra, and for the past 9 months we had an average of a power cut a month for one excuse or another.
In my book this has become reminiscent of Malta’s dark days, “the 1980’s”.
The ONLY difference is that you have since invested a lot of my hard earned taxes in the Delimara Power Station and you are now “upgrading” this with “state of the art extension” with “state of the art filtration system” which by all accounts and as reported in the “Times” this morning, instead of you will be emitting black dust directly into peoples lungs, you will be exporting to another country!
Now this is what you call 'smug' progress!
Charles Micallef
P.S.
I am also not impressed at all, that you now tell us that the Police will be investigating as everyone could tell you that these constant cuts sounded fishy for many years!
Is-Sur John Bundy haqqu Gieh ir-Repubblika ghaliex veru Pajjiz tal-Mickey Mouse! Ma nfiequ qatt.
"aND FOR THE MOMENT i WILL LET THE POLICE INQUIRY TAKE ITS COURSE EVEN THOUGH I HAVE MY OWN OPINION."
Yes you do have an opinion: PN is always right and never makes mistakes! And that is where the problems begin. Start calling a spade a spade. The Marsa Powerstation has lived its shelflife. Its time to start looking at alternative sources and if the goverment is making the wrong decisions (which it is) say so. Otherwise down the road our energy problems are going to grow exponentially
Nah... my friend, I employ an even more advanced technology: it is called non-linear information processing, and it uses a millionth of the energy used by a computer gate. By the way, it is capable of self-replication...
But it's funny how an accident like this.....we have to use it as apolitical intrusion because the enemalta chairman was on disset yesterday and the prime minister has got the budget speech today.....
for me the how is it that the switchboard exploded this morning and not yesterday during disset or tonight during the parlamentary session
I have my doubts whether it has planning permission, but since MEPA has no respect for residents and gives preference to the commercial sector, one never knows.
In the same area MEPA has given permission for a change of use to a garage, which is constantly breaking the conditions of the permit by having huge container vans delivering all kinds of goods.
But of course MEPA does not check on what happens after it grants permits.
The Marsa power station is still running on Second Hand power station bought back in 1979 from Palermo. 30 years running and no one has invested in replacing nothing. The Government has been spending money in all the wrong places
@Andrei: Just order solar panels. 50% will be paid by the government....
@J.Gatt: Good idea - but are you going to pay for it since it will not come cheaper?
@Eric Gahn: Power cuts are nearly unknown across the continent.
@Christopher Demicoli - Stop insulting Google, will you (pun intended)?!
@Dr Francis Saliba - Agreed. For once.
@Michelle Dimech - That is true, but in that hour, it probably cost our company a lot of money (and by lot I mean counting near to my yearly pay). Sure, we just sat still in the cafeteria, dealing with complaints from our clients.
@Jason Attard - Very ironic. That's exactly what I said in other news, such as the burglary in the lotteries office.
Resignations.... now please!!!!
sorry ta imma lil Timothy Cachia, ma kellikx ghalfejn tghidlu li ghadu ma qamx, jien ili nghix il germanja ghal ghaxar snin u f'ghaxar snin power cut wahda biss ta xi siegha kellna, il bqija xejn, izda meta nkun malta holiday dejjem ikun hemm wahda, peress li jien nahdem freelance, dejjem ikolli problema meta nahdem minn hemm u nkun irrid nibghat ix xoghol, ghax ma jkunx hemm dawl ezatt fil hin meta nkun irrid nibaghtu (trid tara x'misthija rrid nispjega lil kumpaniji barra minn malta li x xoghol ma nistax nibaghtu ghax m'ghandniex dawl), li spiccajt qtajt qalbi u qed nahdem mill germanja biss, dawn huma sitwazzjonijiet ta third world countries u mhux ta pajjizi ewropej
If it transpires that this was indeed an act of sabotage, and the perpetrators caught, who would be the idiot then?
"Informed sources said the police have become involved in the inquiry into this morning's power outage. The area is being considered as being a crime scene. "
This probably means they suspect there may have been sabotage - in this case the PN/MLP arguments are meaningless - if it is sabotage then it is very very serious, and above politics.
The above statement means something!
JC.
I'm not going to brag on when we are going to learn, but lets say that an accident happens and the main power station has a major fault that would take days to repair, is there a backup plan? I think not.
I'm calling for the government to remove ALL kinds of taxes imposed on ANY device/technology that is related to alternative energy. This will make per-household alternative energy more attractive. This should also include green cars both electric, GPL or hybrid.
You shold be living like me next to a Confectionery that should not be there in the first place at 6:20 am we had the Generator at full blast, in a village that is renowned for be a quite and peaceful village
2. Is there an adequate preventive maintenance schedule set up?
3. One for The Times (or any other local newspaper interested in taking it up): Considering Europe (since we are Europeans now), what is the average failure rate power stations across the continent? The results could dis/prove or statistically indicate that
- The Malta Electricity generation and distribution setup is in/adequate
- The Marsa Power Station is crumbling
I understand that burglar alarms may be a nuisance during a power cut. Some of us may have a valid reason to have one installed, however. It's highly embarassaing for me when my alarm goes off in these circumstances. The truth is, that it not a matter of not bothering to turn them off. My alarm at least, does not allow the user to turn it off before a lapse of 10-15 minutes.
My qualm is with all the burglar alarms in Malta. Once their electricity supply is cut off, they start braying, making sure to annoy everybody in the neighbourhood. Nobody bothers to switch them off and they stay on till their batteries run out. What is the use of having an alarm if nobody reacts to them. They should be made illegal.
Hope this comment will feature because recently for some unknown reason most of my comments were not featuring.
Mr.Agius
Good to hear that nobody was injured, but we need the investment mentioned in the budget sooner rather than later.