Updated: Faults cause widespread power cuts
File photo
Four cable faults today caused power cuts in several localities.
The faults were most likely to have been caused by a faulty current after the primary fault, at the Valletta Distribution Centre, Enemalta said.
It said in a statement that, although located on physically different circuits, all were affected by the fault current which resulted from the first fault at Valletta distribution centre.
The two 11kV cables at Kirkop, supplying ST Microelectronics, tripped due to an earth fault. The cables were not damaged and, after testing, supply could be restored.
The faulty feeder from Valletta Distribution centre was identified with two faults which also damaged a transformer within the centre. However, this will not delay the restoration of supply which is expected to be back within the next two hours, Enemalta said.
It said that another fault which affected Paola, Tarxien, Kordin and Cospicua occurred at almost the same time and was being repaired.
So far, the network engineers have restored electricity through alternative sources to Valletta, Ħamrun, Sta Venera, Pieta, Guardamanġia, Paola, Fgura, Cospicua, Senglea, Msida and Sliema. Works are still underway to fix the cables meaning supply to Gżira and Marsa will be restored in the next few hours.
Enemalta employees are also on site working to fix a fault on the 33kV cable affecting the Freeport, Ħal Far industrial area and Birzebbuġa, Żurrieq, Qrendi, Mqabba and surrounding localitiest.
Since this particular area needs a large amount of energy which cannot all be fully supplied through alternative sources, some consumers may have to wait until the repairs have been completed.
These repairs may take up to 12 hours, depending on the extent of the damage, but so far switching of supply has already started at Freeport, Ħal Far industrial estate, Birżebbuġa and Żurrieq.
Enemalta said that in the meantime another fault was reported on a cable to the Mosta Distribution Centre affecting the localities of Mosta, Burmarrad, Magħtab and Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq. Enemalta employees are going through a fault finding exercises and as soon as the fault is located and isolated, switching can resume.
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45 Comments
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Adrian Theuma
Jun 20th 2012, 08:24
This particular situation in Malta will improve if the entities that cause the wrong doing, being cable fault, inappropriate maintenance or anything else are held accountable. Accountability is key to ensure that the entities that caused the issue pay the required fines and these are passed on to the consumers of the service. Enemalta should provide its clients with a service level agreement of the form that if the power is cut for more than 2 hours say, then Enemalta will have to start paying back its customers!
Will this happen in Malta? – I do not know. Partisan comments will sure not help to achieve this goal and to improve the situation.
B Grech
Jun 20th 2012, 07:59
That makes three power cuts in less than 24 hours; Tuesday at around 4am, Tuesday 1pm power cut, Wednesday 3am power cut. All three effecting major industrial centres in Malta. So much for the government's boasting about doing its utmost to help keep and attract investment in Malta!
John Scerri
Jun 20th 2012, 07:38
Instead of wasting time discussing and voting on opposition motions which lead to absolutely NOTHING but disgust against the opposition one should concentrate on more serious issues like power cuts which halt industry and workers.
.....................But the opposition reach levels of pleasure when things like this happen ...otherwise they don't have anything to talk about not even their phantom programme.
Paul Caruana
Jun 19th 2012, 22:33
You have to wonder if these multiple faults are not a sign of an electrical distribution infrastructure which is unable to cope with the ever increasing demand for electricity. The government is here caught between a rock and a hard place: we need to spend more money on this issue, yet the general public refuses to pay for them in the form of a rise in electricity tariffs.
Indeed, the are now being led to believe that a reduction in the electricity bills is on the way, once there is a change of government!
Joseph Micallef
Jun 19th 2012, 21:37
Shame on enemalta. Can someone tell me how and where can I file a complaint against enemalta for the lack of service provision for more than 5 hours today please? I think I have a right to be reimbursed for the lack of service. Third world country!!!
Christopher Zahra
Jun 19th 2012, 21:32
"Without Electricity FOR A DAY"
Mario Busuttil
Jun 19th 2012, 19:22
Enemalta spjegat x'gara, kien hemm faults fil cables u meta tkun shana qawwija bhal lum u kullhadd jixel ACs f'daqqa dak li jista jigri,ghad fadal cables x'jinbidlu ......fit tramuntana ma giex affetwat il qtuh.Illum ahsbu sabiex taraw x'imkien il loghoba ,jew ahjar ahsbu ghal generator kif ghamilt jiena!!!!!
leon camilleri
Jun 19th 2012, 19:21
mela jmur id dawl bil lejl ax xi siegha jew aktar , imur wara nofsinar u tghamel erba sieghat bla dawl u jien mejjet bis shana . imbad issib xi gharef hawnekk jghidlek ghax fi zmien mintoff kien jinqata ghal grantet shah .... jien x jienteressani x kien jghamel fi zmien mintoff ?! ... jien issa ed nghix !
John Schembri
Jun 19th 2012, 18:52
I wonder wether the usual suspects commenting here have ever worked or lived abroad like in nearby Italy.
Accidents do happen.
D. Scerri
Jun 19th 2012, 18:51
Mqabba Qrendi Area still without electricity from 13:00. Not to mention the fact that electricity also went off at 04:30 in the morning coming back about an hour later.
Charles W. Sammut
Jun 19th 2012, 18:39
"The faults were most likely to have been caused by a faulty current after the primary fault, at the Valletta Distribution Centre, Enemalta said.
It said in a statement that, although located on physically different circuits, all were affected by the fault current which resulted from the first fault at Valletta distribution centre."
Translation:
Overload due a/c's
A Dimech
Jun 19th 2012, 18:27
pajjiz tal- Mickey Mouse Immexxi minn Gvern u PM tal-Mickey Mouse.
The PM doesn't even know what is going on with his own MPs figure out whether he knows what is going on in Enemalta.....
J. Debono
Jun 19th 2012, 20:50
Wow - what an analysis!
I though it was a cable that faulted!!
How can the PM be responsible for a fault in a cable - totally baffling!
Ara vera m'ghandekx x'taghmel ta!! Mhux ahjar tikteb xi haga bis-sens ghal darba.
Joseph Borg
Jun 19th 2012, 18:25
OK people. Switch of all air-conditioners ASAP please. I would like to watch the England game tonight. You can switch them back on at 11:00pm.
Thanks for your cooperation.
Karen Theuma
Jun 19th 2012, 18:17
The unbearable smell/odour of heavy fuel is infesting all the South whenever there is a power cut. We could not even breath well today during he power cut and now. Can the Minister kindly explain the cause for this? Is this the result of all the millions invested in the Delimara Power Station extension working on heavy fuel oil? And what about the increase in lung cancer and breathing problems which will result in a few years or decades?
Gonzi, are you really serious when you ask the people living in Birzebbuga and Marsaxlokk to trust you with our vote?? You must be joking, and you are not living in our world because you would know what a mess you have created in ths last legislation, you together with your chosen cabinet.
I know you will not even answer any one of the above questions, instead you will say that Joseph Muscat should answer these questions and it is all his fault! Lollllllll!!!!! What a joke Maltese Politics have become!!
Michael Bugeja
Jun 19th 2012, 18:03
Hbieb taf x'jighd il Malti "Iz -zaqq il -mimlijja Qatt ma ghadret iz-zaqq il-vojta',ghax jiena ghandi d-dawl I'm Ok ma jimpurtaniex min Jack. Kull ma rrid hu li xi hadd jiehu r-responsabilta, ghax qieghed jigri hekk.punto e basta. Viva Malta u l-Maltin
Simon Cassar
Jun 19th 2012, 17:55
Enemalta said that some of the localities have already had their supply restored from alternative sources, ......from where? nuclear?!!! jew giet xi mewga kbira u tatna skoss energija!!! Customer service tad dahq....l ewwel nett hasbu li qed jaghmluli pjacir u qaluli qed nahdmu fuqha halli jkollkom id dawl lura malajr...meta staqsejt kemm malajr, qaluli daqs siegha ohra...meta fil fatt dam erbgha sieghat biex gie lura!!...u dan biex ma nsemmux li dan il lejl l elettriku kien ukoll inqata ghal xi siegha ohra f nofs ta lejl u tellifli raqda sura ta nies!!!
John Schembri
Jun 19th 2012, 18:38
Tihu l-istilla tal-iktar kumment stupidu hawn .
Meta ma tifhimx tiktibx!
Karl V
Jun 19th 2012, 17:42
Laqwa li ttijom il kont ... Imbad joqod jaqtalek ...
Mr Michael Debono
Jun 19th 2012, 17:32
The interruption at Msida was only of a few minutes by few it is ment few not half hours.It was some ten minutes at the most.
Mr Matthew Galea
Jun 19th 2012, 17:29
Hal Kirkop, issa gie ddawl....... ilna min xi 1.20pm minajru
W. Tabone
Jun 19th 2012, 17:20
Power has just been restored over here. AFTER 4 HOURS. Not to mention that earlier this morning there was another power cut. 2 In a single day. What a disaster !
Eric Cassar
Jun 19th 2012, 17:15
George niftakar ukoll Li dak il zmien kont inhalas forsi 30 lira fil sena mhux 120€ fil xhar ta
Matthew Schembri
Jun 19th 2012, 17:08
Four hours later and still without any power? Will enemalta pay for the lost hours of work?
Charles Cremona
Jun 19th 2012, 17:00
Its like living in a third world country, and this is early Summer, god knows what in store in august when tempertures reach 40.
Kenneth Galea
Jun 19th 2012, 16:58
We are in for a nasty and brutal summer like the summer of 1998. I never forget that nasty summer which started early like this one with well above average temperatures every single day. I am exhausted already and summer officially starts this Thursday.
Charles Busuttil
Jun 19th 2012, 16:52
Power was only restored here in Marsaxlokk at 16.15 after 3 hours.
Karen Theuma
Jun 19th 2012, 18:19
Same here in Birzebbuga dear neighbour. And what about the nasty smell of heavy fuel coming from Delimara Power Station?? Can't you smell it in Marsaxlokk. It is unbearable in Birzebbuga.
PAUL BUSUTTIL
Jun 19th 2012, 16:00
' The corporation apologised for the inconvenience.'
And this makes everything fine and dandy, what are we in for this summer ?
Mr phil sam
Jun 19th 2012, 15:54
As the song goes "summer time and the living is easy". Not.
pat muscat
Jun 19th 2012, 15:09
GonziPN takes your breath away; everything is falling apart; if its not one thing its an other..... and of course it is business as usual! Wakey wakey!
J Busuttil
Jun 19th 2012, 15:34
@ Pat Muscat
Once your Joseph is elected prime minister in-qabduh mal-cable and problem solved.
Mr Ernest Vella
Jun 19th 2012, 15:34
Sinjura Muscat...nahseb wasal iz-zmien li terga tohrog it-torch mill-kexxun...dik li kont imdorrija tuza fi zmien is-socjalizmu meta ma kienx hawn dawn il-fabriki kollha u biex tixtri bicca kompjuter ridt tmur ghand il-ministru b'xi flixkun whiskey!!!
Joseph Fenech
Jun 19th 2012, 15:41
How PAThetic
Edward Curmi
Jun 19th 2012, 15:52
Oh please dont be pathetic like your party !!
George Calleja
Jun 19th 2012, 16:04
Kemm tinsa malajr pat!!! Insejt meta taht gvern laburista konna naghmlu granet shah bla dawl u ilma?? Altru minn wakey wakey!!!!
Kenneth Cremona
Jun 19th 2012, 16:09
What a pathetic comment. Every minor thing is being used as a stick to beat the government.
Yes, it was engineer Gonzi's fault that the power station developed a fault!
I dread to think how other nations laugh at us; blaming the prime minister for a power station fault!
A. Mifsud
Jun 19th 2012, 16:16
Soon we'll have Handy Joey in charge an all our troubles will be over. At the flick of his fingers everything will get be sorted out, he's got the backing from the multi billion emirates now too - so all is very promising!!!
Or I must say wakey wakey, too??
tyson vella
Jun 19th 2012, 17:31
Gonzi pn has lost control over everything, in 2012 we do not expect any power cuts mostly after prices have risen and millions spent from our taxes biex suppost inkun fi stat ahjar, fi zmien li kien emm il labour fil gvern ma kellux daw il milljuni u technologija avanzata tal lum, gonzi is a disgrace, he should resign today before more people continue falling in poverty, tidru li qeddin paxuti u comdi min jafda fdal gvern
Ms Maria Vella
Jun 19th 2012, 17:33
Pat Muscat
Why don't you stand up and be counted and do something worthwhile?
Nadia Camilleri
Jun 19th 2012, 17:35
@ Kenneth Cremona
Yes, it was engineer Gonzi's fault that the power station developed a fault!
Yes it's Eng Gonzi's fault if we are without lights. And you know why? You want it spoon fed so that it's crystal clear? Lack of maintenance is one of the main reasons. And lack of maintenance is due to the fact that Enemalta is up to it's ears in debt. You want more? We could write a best seller but better stop here.
Kenneth Cremona
Jun 19th 2012, 17:55
@Ms Nadia Camilleri
Not sure if you read the article (try to it's better than writing an ill judged comment), but it said that cables have developed a fault, citing an extraordinary event that prior Enemalta didn't know about.
Next you'll tell me Gonzi (or Enemalta for that matter) should predict the future more accurately.
Sorry for pouring water on your parade, but whisper it, not even a Labour government will guarantee protection against extraordinary faults!
J. Caruana
Jun 19th 2012, 18:09
why is it that I'm not surprised that someone blamed the Government over the power cut? all the same, I enjoyed reading all your comments - they really cracked me up this afternoon!
I don't care if it's Labour, GonziPN, Alternattiva Demokratika or Norman Lowell who you support - faults can happen at any time, and politicians can't do much about it unless they're engineers.
Joseph E Briffa
Jun 19th 2012, 18:45
Kemm tiflah tkun vojta...pat. Kif ma tindunax?
pat muscat
Jun 19th 2012, 19:14
@PN apologists. Do you expect power cuts after 25 years of MR fix it Gonzi+PN? A'new' power station which has not been paid for, spewing toxic and acidic fumes around Malta+'a state of the art' distribution network that has cost millions and millions?
@Ms Maria Vella. I am contributing towards a solution: I am doing my best to vote Gonzi and his-no good clique out!
Please choose the reason of your report below: