Power cut in Valletta
Most areas of Valletta are without electricity this afternoon. A number of shops and offices closed as air-conditioners went off in what is probably the hottest day of the year so far.
Others turned on their generators and a few, including McDonalds had to turn people away.
The power cut started at about 1 p.m.
Several other areas have suffered power cuts over the past few days, including large areas of Sliema, Paola, Fgura and Tarxien yesterday and Lija, Attard and Mosta on the day before.
Enemalta has blamed the faults on network problems. It said most of the cuts were due to faults in underground cables. These are the first to blow up in the case of overloads.
Cables are also damaged by passage of heavy vehicles on road works and with aging.
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Kenneth Galea
Jul 12th 2012, 22:13
The statement issued by Enemalta does not make sense to me at all. This is not the hottest day of the year so far, this is the most brutal summer ever. A summer which is certainly going to go down in history, people are suffering and cannot take it anymore. There were a handful of moaners who complained about last Winter because we had more rain than we normally have. In Malta Winters are never that cold but if Summer is a hot one then hell breaks lose. Surely those who complained about the bit of cold we had last Winter are Summer lovers who do nothing during the summer but sit by the pool. I dread to go into these people's houses during the summer months, probably their houses are like rubbish tips.
S Muscat
Jul 12th 2012, 20:42
From Government Gazzette
Dated 3rd July
KORPORAZZJONI ENEMALTA
Il-Korporazzjoni Enemalta tgħarraf illi:–
Talba għall-Kwotazzjonijiet
*TD/T/3071/2012. Feasibility study u risk
analysis għal alterazzjoni talPower Station ta’ Delimara
għal Natural Gas Firing.
David Hill
Jul 12th 2012, 19:17
If the Gov. can fine Arriva for failing to provide a full service, why not fine Enemalta?
Mr Adrian Vella
Jul 12th 2012, 21:13
agree to that fully...... but then they will raise the w&e rates to make up for the fine!!
Jessica Smith
Jul 12th 2012, 22:53
Take the fine from one pocket and put it in another.
Victor Pulis
Jul 12th 2012, 19:06
The excuses Enemalta is bringing are just that. Notice that the power is going off in different localities everyday. Looks like Enemalta has prepared a roster where power will be turned off and on what day.
Mr Alfred Baldacchino
Jul 12th 2012, 19:06
Alfred Baldacchino Heavy traffic damages utility piping buried in the road. And this especially when large loaded trucks go over the so called sleeping policemen.
Alfred Spiteri
Jul 12th 2012, 18:50
Yes I am am from pawla and yesterday i could not stand it in the flat i live in at 10pm lights went off till 1am I decided to go to pawla Square and stayed there buy myself shame on Enemalta no respect for people
Claire Busuttil
Jul 12th 2012, 18:39
Taqra il kummenti ta hawn taht tirealizza kemm ghad nies injuranti....il gvern ihalijom bla dawl ghal sieghat twal, u jigustifikawh.....fejn tista tasal aktar min hekk!
Jonathan Micallef
Jul 12th 2012, 18:37
Is it me or does it seem that these "faults" bare a striking similarity to our power generation company not being able to keep up with demand and thus switching off each locality in turn to minimise the load?
Claire Busuttil
Jul 12th 2012, 18:27
ara kemm dahku it turisti gol criuse li wasal dalodu il port tal belt!!prosit hej!
John SIM
Jul 12th 2012, 18:27
one word: generators
Lucienne Dimech
Jul 12th 2012, 18:08
Day after day every part of Malta is being left in darkness and heat . Shame shame shame a third world country pretending to have made progress
R. Borg
Jul 12th 2012, 17:40
Give GonziPN a little more time. This evening he will settle the PN crises and tomorow he will settle all other problems. Min jistenna jitenna.
Robert Zammit
Jul 12th 2012, 17:33
Power cut because sun heat than 45oC
Paul Cassar
Jul 12th 2012, 17:13
PAYING MILLIONS FOR A PENNY SERVICE........................and a 4 million commission pocketed.
Mario Giuliano
Jul 12th 2012, 17:08
@ Monica Muscat
Dearest Monika ... you state ... "After all, "rationing" of water and electricity nowadays is not "performed" on same areas two times round."
You are wrong Han ... actually three times or more .. Sliema had power cuts on ..
Tuesday 03 July - Friday 06 July - Wednesday 11 July ...
Better check with your "inside information" before you write your comments!!!
D. Scerri
Jul 12th 2012, 17:02
Shame on GonziPN for leading the country into this situation..and he will stay away from parliament at least till October 1st whilst all Maltese do their utmost to cope in the difficult circumstances of everyday life.
D. Tanti
Jul 12th 2012, 17:50
Hehe - kumbinazzjoni tort ta' Gonzi! Naħseb mar jaqta' l-cables hu! Issa tinkwetax...la jkollna lil Joseph joqgħod iżomm il-cables b'idejh bħal lum biex ma jkollna qatt power cut !
Richard Zammit
Jul 13th 2012, 08:59
reply to Mr tanti ,
rather funny but in the old days it was Mintoff's fault and now it's not Gonzi's fault , Come on guys , take the blinkers off .
Joe Borg
Jul 12th 2012, 16:53
Power cuts everyday... third World infrastructure. Actually that's an insult to many third world countries...
J Cachia
Jul 12th 2012, 16:45
S'issa nqata' d-dawl f'Sliema, Gzira, Paola, Fgura , Tarxien, Lija, Attard, Mosta u Valletta. Nahseb xi hadd ghandu l-ismijiet tal-lokalitajiet ta' Malta f'borza u qieghed itella' t-tombla bihom. Ta' min jitla' jkun Sultan ghax jinqataghlu d-dawl! U le le! X'pajjiz!
mary pace
Jul 12th 2012, 16:36
I live in tarxien , we had no electricity on tuesday for 4 hours & yesterday, wednesdy for 10 hours from 2 30pm to 1 am!! WE COULDN'T EVEN BREATH ,WITH THIS HEATWAVE!!
Louis Craus
Jul 12th 2012, 16:30
Gejna sew ukoll issa. Basta niftahru . Tal-misthija kif ghadna sejrin hekk. Mela llum tista'toqghod bla dawl.
Dak avvanz li ghamilna, dik qabza fil-kwalita!.
Tisthi tghidhom dawn l-affarijiet illum.
La taf tibki w l-anqas tidhaq.
Nissaportu rridu.
Kollox.
C Calafato
Jul 12th 2012, 16:26
enemalta is organising 80's nights for us.
Lucienne Spiteri
Jul 12th 2012, 16:23
I wonder why labour, with the same mp's they have today, opposed the delimara power station, and even today they still oppose it's extension.....Thank God the government moved forward...Eddie Fenech Adami gave us a new powerstation, and Lawrence Gonzi is not just extending it but also doing an interconnector with Sicily...joholmuhom tal-lejber kieku dawn...fi zmienhom gimghat konna naghmlu bla dawl!
Alex Cutajar
Jul 12th 2012, 16:39
Tidher li qas taf x'int tghid. Il- labour propona Gas Power station flok Power station li tahdem bil- heavy fuel oil
Pls tqabbilx l-80s ma issa, tghid ma kienx jintuza daqs issa id-dawl!
Thomas C. Cassar
Jul 12th 2012, 16:41
Hasra li l-PN ta` qabel l-1971 ma hasibx, nsomma aktarx li l-power station kienet f'idejn l-Inglizi avolja taparsi indipendenti.
Peter Bonello
Jul 12th 2012, 17:22
Lucienne, tirrealizza kemm tinstema kerha tfahhar lil pn ghal avvanzi fil provista meta kuljum qed jinqata id dawl waqt li negozji qed jitilfu ix xoghol u nies skomdi f'dahrhom? tirealizza li l estenzjoni tal powerstation saret permezz ta powerstation li tuza heavy oil, minflokk gas li huwa aktar nadif? Umbad jintaxxa lil poplu ghax haw min ma jaffordjax jibdel il karozza?? tirrealizza kemm int vojta tqabbel iz zminijiet tal llum mat 80-ijiet? Ta l inqas taht il Labout Malta saret verament Indipendenti u Hielsa, mhux bhal ma kienu fi zmien in-Nazzjonalisti qabilhom.. Kull avvanzz li kien possibli fdaw l-40 sena kien possibli biss wara li Malta saret hielsa!!
Mr Michael Debono
Jul 12th 2012, 17:35
U sa dan it-tant l-eletrku, nista nghid ukoll l-ilma bir-razzjon. U dan il P.N. ghandu power station gdida fjamanta u jinqata d-dawl. Ftahru tant u qed ikunu umiljati. Mur avdhom b'xi haga aktar serja nghidu ahna flus il-poplu. Kif jirrovinawh.
Lucienne Spiteri
Jul 12th 2012, 18:00
Lejber moaners....
Richard Zammit
Jul 13th 2012, 09:26
Mrs Spiteri , ma tahsibx li sejra daqxejn zbaljata , qadt ma konna gimghat bla dawl imma tal labour ukoll qatt ma qalu li bil p[ower station ta dellimara ha tissolva l problema u il ha jnehhu tal Marsa ghax ma hemmx bzonna . Iz zmien taghna parir
M Grima
Jul 12th 2012, 16:02
This is your GonziPN:- inefficiency + arrogance.
No power from an almost brand new power station.
The citizens of Malta are enjoying the fruit of their own wisdom!!!
Thomas C. Cassar
Jul 12th 2012, 15:49
Kienu jghidu ghal zmien Mintoff, ovvja ghax qabel MIntoff konna bil-lampa tal-pitrolju f'hafna postijiet. Illum 2012 qeghdin, anke l-internet thing of the past... tal-misthija ghall-Gvern din.
victor caruana
Jul 12th 2012, 15:42
As if nobody has notices....this is RATIONING of electric power.....government is short of electricity supply.....and thinks that the people are pigs who swallow all thrash.....
M Mallia
Jul 12th 2012, 16:06
Naqbel mijak mija fil-mija.
Monica Muscat
Jul 12th 2012, 16:16
Sorry Mr. Caruana, you seem to be wearing blinkers! Who told you that this is electric power rationing? Happen to have some inside information that the rest of the poplulation is not aware of? I only stop to remind you that during the Bad Old Days, water and electricity rationing was not carried out in this manner: IT WOULD BE A TOTAL BLACK OUT or A COMPLETE CLOSING DOWN OF WATER MAINS.
I think that it is the Opposition that is making pigs out of you by shoving down your throats threats from the present administration.
Anyway, it you have been hit by these "rationing" measures, just relax, and in a couple of hours at most, you will be able to have a shower and watch TV to your heart's content. - After all, "rationing" of water and electricity nowadays is not "performed" on same areas two times round.
Alex Cutajar
Jul 12th 2012, 16:41
So Monica.. how do you explain 7 powercuts in 7 consecutive days?
ANTHONY PAVIA
Jul 12th 2012, 17:09
Ms Monica Muscat, Bear with me when I disagree with you on who exactly is wearing blinkers!
May I gently remind you that we are in the 21ST century, 35 years away from the events you mention, € 700 millions increased debt by Enemalta, even though the plant commissioned 25 years back has not been PAID yet , and having until now enjoyed 25 years of PN (mis)management, at least in this sector.
j dough
Jul 12th 2012, 17:29
vera dwejjaw bla dawl u vera ta'tbatija bis-shana li hi...
tiftakru meta parti ta' m'scala kien BLA ILMA GHAL SEBA SNIN??? iva SEVEN YEARS of no water in the taps. if you're lucky you may get a trickle during the night but no way could the water tank on the roof fill up.
we would buy bowsers full of water to fill our wells and roof tanks and ration it ourselves to make it last.
ANTHONY PAVIA
Jul 12th 2012, 18:41
Mr Dough, would you care to substantiate with facts your grave statement? Would this be that part of M'Scala possibly built without permits? Documented facts would be appreciated by all.
Angelo Vassallo
Jul 12th 2012, 15:41
@ EDDIE privitera
Taf x'insejt isemmi EDDIE, li allahares sehh dak li ridtu taghmlu intom, li kien ghalikom il-lejburisti hattejtu Delimara Power Station gebla gebla.
Kieku qeghdin isbah issa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
gebla gebla. ION li nfi zmien mintoff q Mark Galea: Fl-antik kontu tohorgu bil-borom meta kien jinqata l-ilma. Illum imisskhom tohrgu bl-imriewah, bix-xemghat u t-torchlights !
Lawrence Fenech
Jul 12th 2012, 16:05
@Angelo.
Dak iz-zmien li inthom tejxu fih, Mintoff kien inaqqas id-dawk fit-toroq u mhux fid-djar tan-nies.
j dough
Jul 12th 2012, 17:32
u hallina...
powercuts have always existed. and the 'more' electricity we 'have' the more appliances we buy for our convenience. and the more electricity we need.
C. Sammut
Jul 12th 2012, 15:40
offices closed down??? some offices have to do without a properly functioning aircondition unit!
Lawrence Fenech
Jul 12th 2012, 15:34
Gonz rajthom kollha jieqfu mix-xoghol jew mit tieqa ta' l-ufficju tieghek ma jidhrux bhal dik il-pastasata u fregu ta' bieb il-Belt.
D. Camilleri
Jul 12th 2012, 15:29
When we called up Enemalta about the power cut in Fgura, customer care told us that Tarxien had a big overload and so they had to switch the Fgura area off to prevent further damage and that power will be restored by 1.30 AM.
It think its more the case that Enemalta is not coping with the load than anything else, since this happens every summer on particularly hot days and has nothing to do with heavy vehicles.
Eve Axiaq
Jul 12th 2012, 15:15
Mela fix- xitwa t-trakkijiet l- kbar ma jghaddux mit- toroq u l- cables ma jispiccawx?!! Lol
Wenzu Fsadni
Jul 12th 2012, 15:09
lol
Be positive tal-anqas il-kont ma jkomplix jikber! (suppost)
Mark. Galea
Jul 12th 2012, 15:04
all we need is JM switching off the power station extension ... when he is in power ...
J Farrugia
Jul 12th 2012, 15:28
Nothing to do with over 25 years of lame governing with no forward thinking eh, sad people.
Eddy Privitera
Jul 12th 2012, 15:32
Mark Galea: Fl-antik kontu tohorgu bil-borom meta kien jinqata l-ilma. Illum imisskhom tohrgu bl-imriewah, bix-xemghat u t-torchlights !
Lawrence Fenech
Jul 12th 2012, 15:36
@Mark
Is-soltu jekk ma iddahhlux lil JM fil-frejjeg ta' Gonzi mhux inthom.
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Jul 12th 2012, 15:37
Mark, twisting facts as usual. Jm will not switch off the extension but will change it to un on gas - much cleaner and healthier fuel then the filth being used by GonziPN.
Lucas North
Jul 12th 2012, 16:10
U Min fejn ser igibu u jahznu il gas JM...
ghandi aptit inkun naqra iktar sbukkat biex nghidlek min fejn ser igibu il gas, imma ha noqghod kwiet ghax il moderator ma jhallihx dan il kumment!!!!!
only way that the new extension can work properly, relatively cheap, and efficient is gasoil/diesel
Wally Vella-Zarb
Jul 12th 2012, 16:51
@ Lucas North
"only way that the new extension can work properly, relatively cheap, and efficient is gasoil/diesel "
Really? So why is government running it on heavy fuel oil and is now already preparing to convert to running it on gas, something which they should have done right from the start?
Charles Grima
Jul 12th 2012, 15:04
Il bierah Hal Tarxien dizastru! Sas-siegha bumm minghajr dawl, kullhadd barra fuq it-targa, igerger...
U kienet shana l-bierah tafux!!!
Peter Murray
Jul 12th 2012, 14:56
ANYONE care to respond -you know who you are!PREVENTION is always better and always cheaper that the solution and that regular inspections and maintenance would drammatically reduce such faults. Enemalta cannot do anything about the reckless and irresponsible contratctors damaging power cables but they can inspect and maintain far better than they do to prevent these failures. as they clearly aware that every year hot weather will invariably induce overloads
Paul Zammit
Jul 12th 2012, 14:55
it looks we have a serius problem here aging of the cables does this mean it has to change the whole network or most of it.
James Borg
Jul 12th 2012, 14:51
dan xkieeeeen lol, aghar mis 70s...
John Zarb
Jul 12th 2012, 14:51
Only fools would beleive this!!!!!! Power cuts are the order of the day and almost in the afternoons. Sunday it was Gzira etc. Monday Sliema etc. Tuesday B'kara etc. Yesterday Tarxien etc and today Valletta when the Parliament is in recess!!!!!!!!!!! X'kumbinazzjoni hux??????
If there are problems on network and the underground cables and the cause is because of heavy vehicles (?????) then why the Industrial estates are intact?????
Power cuts are being done systematically because of a pattern and because all Malta has an overload with all this heat!!!!!! Enemalta please explain all this.
Victor Rodenas
Jul 12th 2012, 15:04
I pushed the LIKE button.
Jonathan Zammit Lapira
Jul 12th 2012, 15:31
Agree 100% Mr. Zarb. You hit the nail on the head. What will happen when we get rid of the Marsa Power Station??? Heavy vehicles are allover and at the industrial estates even container loads are carried and no problems with underground cables. Enemalta and government: you are treating us like foolish people and as a 3rd World country.
Ramon Zammit
Jul 12th 2012, 14:47
2012 AD? I d say 2012 BC!!!!
Mr Michael Debono
Jul 12th 2012, 17:51
Cerain regions receive preferential treatment. I wan't say where I live but we have not had any shut downs this summer. Thanks to the Embassies.
Victor Vella
Jul 12th 2012, 14:33
Mela zmien il-buzullotti ma spiccax? Ergajna fi zmien il-buzullotti?. Viva GonziPN.
Mario Giuliano
Jul 12th 2012, 14:24
4 days of power cuts in a row!! Prosett tassew Enemalta!! ... is this the way forward??
Abigail Bugeja
Jul 12th 2012, 14:15
Unbelievable!
Pierre Mangion
Jul 12th 2012, 14:48
Unbelievable is just too simple to describe this third world country situation. so apart from having an electricity company that is draining public funds, we also have to suffer from its incapabilities to deliver the only service its being paid to deliver.
is it just now that they realised that by just digging a trench, laying armourred cable in plastic pipe and recovering the trench with the same material and adding a few millimeters of asphalt, does not solve the matter????
instead of spending millions for the installation of the new smart meters, they should have better figured out the priorities, such as making sure that the network in up to scratch.
finally, shouldnt the powers deciding on policy realise that more additional infrastructure requiring heavier demands from our only power station, are not currently viable?
Please choose the reason of your report below: