Updated: Power back on at ST

french curmi

Aug 6th 2012, 15:52

ISO 22301 (June 2012) is a blend of several good BCP standards and costs CHF 116.

Much older Failure Mode Effects (and criticality) Analysis FMECA or FM&EA dates back to 1949 and was revised in 1980.

If ST Microelectroncis claimed insurance, I would expect the insurance company lawyers would first of all ask: are business continuity management processes practiced in ST Microelectronics? where is it documented? has the business continuity plan been rehearsed regularly?





Good engineering skills would have foreseen the single point of failure - why was it allowed to persist?

Giorgio Schembri

Aug 6th 2012, 11:59

How come no other factories lamented with power cuts???? I think that the ST management need some serious thinking in the organisation of the company.....Is it possible that this company had no other secondary items on production to do which can be generated through alternative energies??? If not....please have a serious inernal reshuffle and get organised! What do other companies of the same scale as ST do abroad when they face similar problems??

ALBERT FENECH

Aug 6th 2012, 11:53

There have been some bizarre comments made over this news item but Mario Vassallo's comment takes the biscuit. He seems to think that the Malta Government is paying for everything (utilities, wages, salaries, expenses) so that ST can remain in Malta, its employees can have a jolly good time and everything is fine and dandy. Perhaps he should be informed that had it not been for this Company's management intervention, the sacrifices made by the industrial employees and the amazing technical skills of the whole workforce, ST would have called it a day in Malta long ago. And Mr Editor, PLEASE, PLEASE, stop showing the stupid and trite comments being made by some that ST should have backup generators. People stating as such do not have the slightest knowledge of the hundreds of highly sophisticated electronic machines the Company runs. the amount of chillers, a/c and general power consumption and the volume of electricity needed to run all this.

ALBERT FENECH

Victor Calleja

Aug 6th 2012, 11:09

Dejjem liskuza tas soltu. Il qtugh imhabba roadworks.
Halluna nghixu .

Paul Borg

Aug 6th 2012, 09:26

To all commenting about ST not having generators....... it consumes so much electricity that a small power station would be needed to run it, not just some generators. And this was said by a former general manager.

Jonathan Camilleri

Aug 6th 2012, 09:06

Doesn't the company have a business continuity plan, which includes backup electricity generators?

Jay Oatmon

Aug 6th 2012, 06:55

In organised countries such as the UK the electricity company would be able to provide drawings of underground cable routes before any excavation in an area, and all cables are laid in concrete channels with concrete slab covers marked "DANGER ELECTRICITY".
If there were cables at risk, there would be an electricity company representative on site during the excavation to ensure the cables were not damaged.

Mario Vassallo

Aug 6th 2012, 04:15

Could somebody please inform the general public whether ST's electricity supply is actually paid for by the company,or whether it is paid for by the taxpayer in the form of support to ensure that the company remains in Malta?

Mark Cassar

Aug 6th 2012, 02:21

If legitimate, and above board, the road works should have had a permit; whether in the jurisdiction of a local council or central government. Even a crane NOT blocking a road needs a permit, let alone major road works. Hence Enemalta and Water Services should have been fully informed, and contractor would then have known re cables, pipes etc. in the vicinity. Notwithstanding the above, it is the contractor's responsibility to ensure full compliance of all the requirements. From A to Z. With regard to the 1 million dollars loss in sales from 15 hours of production down-time, it is good to hear that ST are doing so well again, after the doldrums of yesteryear. I am sure 15 hours production can be recovered quickly; considering the company has such formidable production facilities, with investment also provided by the Maltese taxpayer.

A Cardona

Aug 5th 2012, 22:52

The thing that is amazing me is not the power cut but that ST has no redundant power source, at least to keep the essentials going on.

Joseph V Savona

Aug 5th 2012, 22:07

STMicroelectronics have no standby generators!!!!!!

mark borg

Aug 5th 2012, 22:00

pastazata Li 2012 wara il biljuni li nefqu mit taxxi tal poplu u ghadna qisna l-afghanistan.......kemm fl infrastruttura u anke mentalita (qed nirreferi ghal min hu kontra id divorzju u l-IVF)

Joseph Zerafa

Aug 5th 2012, 21:28

GonziPN = Total power failure!!

Irene Forster

Aug 5th 2012, 21:17

Every one of my companies offshore oil platforms has backup generator capability to keep critical systems online, Enemalta's "faults" are not only to blame for the loss of revenue for ST - Poor emergency management systems (ST's) in my book.
Stephen Forster

j brincat

Aug 5th 2012, 21:16

Hurray let's take to the streets and celebrate!

Incredible but true!

No doubt some PN posters will quote the 70s conveniently forgetting that that was more than a quarter of a century ago.



(jb)

Mr Mike Farrugia

Aug 5th 2012, 21:09

Road works at 5 am on a Sunday. Just wishfull thinking!

S. Caruana

Aug 5th 2012, 21:01

Mela lill-haddiema hadilhom il-festi bl-iskuza li l-kumpaniji privati jibqaghu kompetitivi, imbghad l-gvern il-hin kollu jbaltilhom.Kontijiet tad-dawl u ilma aktar gholjin,irrid joghlilhom il-kera skond l-art u grazzi ghal dan kollu jaqtalhom id-dawl!!!

Ms. P.M Graham

Aug 5th 2012, 20:54

If you are thinking of investing in Malta and employing 100's of people, ie adding/boosting the economy, please be aware before you invest, you cannot be assured of an electricity supply so please invest further in an alternative power supply.

How encouraging.

Chris Agius

Aug 5th 2012, 20:42

No coordination, no management, no monitoring. Ejja ha mmorru! A real shambles!

George Joseph Cauchi

Aug 5th 2012, 20:24

It's incredible whichever way you look at it. Enemalta blames contractors for the faults and STMicroelectronics have no sufficient self generating capacity in case of emergency?. I would have thought that Enemalta would be in contact 24X7 to ensure that no cables, switchgear etc are damaged by third parties and that a company like STM would ensure that their production is not interrupted. What a farce.

Joseph Borg

Aug 5th 2012, 20:03

INCREDIBLE - Don't generators exist? One would expect better from such a company!

Alfred Spiteri

Aug 5th 2012, 19:54

A company like this should have had a private generatator for emergency and save $1 million in lose

N. Attard

Aug 5th 2012, 19:43

Road works on Sunday? Boqqqqq

Billboard iehor ghal PL....... ili tnax il-siegha nistenna d-dawl!!!

Claire Busuttil

Aug 5th 2012, 19:27

OMG!!

Ryan Gauchi

Aug 5th 2012, 19:23

Now who will compensate the 1m dollar loss? Or are they even going to be compensated?

M Saliba

Aug 5th 2012, 19:21

Enemalta should take proper measures and precautions to see that during roadworks the cables are not damaged. Enemalta is the entity responsible for supplying electricity and not excuses,

G Mugliett

Aug 5th 2012, 19:20

Job creation and competitivity. You'll have to be mad to invest in here.
Unbelievable a plant like ST left without power for a whole day in a European country in 2012.

W Cassar

Aug 5th 2012, 19:18

Gonzi today said voting for Labour will take us back 30 Years ... well he hasn't exactly brought us forward 30 years, there are a number of things his administration has tried to tackle and failed miserably.

R Axisa

Aug 5th 2012, 19:17

Can Enemalta please explain what road works where done in the vicinity and by whom? I drive from there nearly every day and I have seen no road works in the vicinity. It was all very normal.

VINCENT WILLIAMS

Aug 5th 2012, 19:10

Without any doubt it is the fault of every person on the island and that includes the PN voters and PN apologists. But it is not the fault of GonziPartitNegattiv at all. GonziPN blames the contractors but hardly any actions are taken against them.

A couple of years ago when a generator had a fault and the island was without electricty. EneMalta issued a statement stating that this particular generator was brought from the UK and it was going to take action against the British company. But since then EneMalta went into silence about this matter.

Remember we have two power stations and one of them has been enlarged, a government that has been in power for 25 years. But still Malta because of GonziPartitNegattiv's failures is a third world country even where electricity is concerned.

A Camilleri

Aug 5th 2012, 19:09

enemalta is in a shambles, its making malta like a 3rd world country, even arms is a shamble, its time the goverment did something about it.

Anthony Arpa

Aug 5th 2012, 19:06

A company like this should have had a private generatator for emergency ... The main problem is the people living in the area who will have to stay in this hot time without a fan or aircinditioner ... and without a working fridge ...

Fran Abela

Aug 5th 2012, 19:05

I find it difficult to believe that such a large company does not have a back-up system of electricity - a generator.
If the problem was caused by a contractor then STM should sue him. It is also about time that Enemalta put its foot down seriously when electricity faults are caused by contractors. In fact I think contracts should be insured for this eventuality and the sooner it is done the better. I would not in future accept the fact that electricity cuts were due to contractors damaging cables.

Jeffrey Mallia

Aug 5th 2012, 19:05

Nahseb nizel it tarmac minhabba is shana !!!!! Skont il ministru Tonio Fenech...,,,,ghax hawn Malta biss taghmel is shana !!

jimi Xerri

Aug 5th 2012, 18:55

Have enemalta impossed on the contractors doing road works to have sensors to detect cables as part of there heavy equipment. This is standard practice in other countries, is it here?
Are these contractors, liable to damages caused and are they actually persecuted when such occurs?

Wilfred Camilleri

Aug 5th 2012, 18:53

Why are some commentators blaming Enemalta and the government for this stupidity when it's obvious it's the fault of the contractor who cut the power cables? t is the contractor's responsibility to check if there are cables or water/sewer pipes were he is digging not Enemalta or anyone else! In other countries a contractor doing any road works is responsible for getting all relevant service providers (telephone, cable, water, sewer, gas, electricity) to mark the exact presence of such services before the contractor starts digging. Many have to bring partisan politics into everything that happens. Pathetic!

mark johnson

Aug 5th 2012, 18:50

I have a question for you: what road works are done on a sunday morning????

anthony sultana

Aug 5th 2012, 18:49

The contracter should pay for all the damages to the ST.

cesco di luigi

Aug 5th 2012, 18:46

so now can somebody quantify the loss to the country when the electicity was off in valletta a couple of weeks ago resulting in quite a few government departments and private firms without power for over 12 hours? Or is it only SG that counts/ By the way can't believe these guys don't have their own power source.

Franco Farrugia

Aug 5th 2012, 18:45

We cannot continue putting the fault on 'roadworks'! Two nights ago, due to 'roadworks' at December 13 Road, in various parts nearby, we were left without electricity for a number of hours.
Imagine the hardship.
But also imagine the immense loss of profits for an already-ailing manufacturing company like MS. We simply cannot continue to put the blame on roadworks and expect people to gulp all this down and just shut up - for the same of 'roadworks'.
It's not that it's I who is carrying out the 'roadworks'! Supposedly there are trained people carrying out these works!
We simply cannot go on like this!

Victor Laiviera

Aug 5th 2012, 18:44

So tell us again - who is taking Malta 30 years into the past?

ANTHONY PAVIA

Aug 5th 2012, 18:43

It must be the heat, weakening the tarmac, which in turn would allow more impact by passing carts to reach the unsuspecting, underground cables.

Tony Borg

Aug 5th 2012, 18:43

What a coincidence....when Gonzipn is splashing out billboards that the PL does not create work....under Gonzi's watch one of the companies brought over by a labour government is brought to a halt because electricity supply was interrupted!!

Ronnie Callus

Aug 5th 2012, 18:38

Tas-soltu din, dejjem il-kuntrattur jehel. Il-hmar iwwahhal f'denbu.

simon ellul sullivan

Aug 5th 2012, 18:36

let's hope they sue that contractor for millions, get him out of business and then maybe just maybe all the other cowboys out there will start working professionally and learn what accountability is all about !

Hugh Morris

Aug 5th 2012, 18:28

If road works are the problem, then its the contractor's fault and not of Enemalta or GonziPn or the toothfairy.
You people are like scrouge - humbugging all the time. lol!

B. Storace

Aug 5th 2012, 18:28

I cannot understand how a company like STMicroelectronics did not have the foresight to invest in a back-up system to cover such emergencies. Most companies and even some households do so no real pity for them. On the other hand, this is a golden opportunity for them to sue the contractor charged with the road works in the vicinity, as the report suggests. So, even though it might take a few years for justice to be seen to happen at least they should rest assured that they will be compensated in the long run........that is of course if EneMalta is correctly pointing the finger away from its own shortcomings.

Charles Micallef

Aug 5th 2012, 18:25

Sources said this meant losses of over $1 million in sales for the company.. let us hope that SGS will sue enemalta to re-gain the loses incurred, as it is about time that someone holds Enemalta to account!

Patrick Bellia

Aug 5th 2012, 18:22

jekk jintlaqat cable waqt xoghlijiet ha jkun hemm hsara, ma nahsibx li ikun min ikun fil gvern ikun qed jiehu pjacir meta jigru dawn l affarijiet, li jiskantani hu kif kumpanija kbira bhall din ma ghandiex generator biex f kaz ta hsara bhall dan il kaz, tkun tista tkompli bil hidma taghha.

Paul Pace

Aug 5th 2012, 18:21

Shame!!!!

stephen koludrovic

Aug 5th 2012, 18:10

Triggered by road works in the vicinity?

I imagine that there is no map of where the underground cables lie, and good old Joe with his JCB just severed the cables apart.

Mr Paul Borg

Aug 5th 2012, 18:09

Ma nafx kif ma bdewx iwwahhlu fil-Partit Laburista li qed jghamel xi sabutagg. L-ikbar sabutagg qed isir minn Gonzipn, sabutagg kontra l-familji Maltin u Ghawdxin. Ghandek dubju jekk hux veru??, Staqsi lil Onor, Franco Debono jew lil Onor Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando u jikkonfermawlek!!

James Grech

Aug 5th 2012, 18:05

What a mess!!!!

francis mallia

Aug 5th 2012, 18:04

x the gonzipn supporters keep harping on the bad old days

ALBERT FENECH

Aug 5th 2012, 18:01

This is an unqualified and incalculable disaster for ST and its employees who accepted wage/allowance cuts to save ST for Malta two years ago. In one day, one million euros is flushed down the drain. Is this another step towards the "excellence" that the country's administration boasts about? No doubt, a fitting birthday present for Dom Mintoff who was instrumental to ST starting up business in Malta in 1981.

ALBERT FENECH

Mr J Xerri

Aug 5th 2012, 17:59

We are in the 21st century and we are still blaming road works for electricity faults which are affecting badly both the general public and the industry. And what is meant by "road works"? Is it the fault of contractors digging trenches, etc? Are the authorities making sure that these contracts are taking the necessary precaution when digging trenches, etc? Does the Authorities provide detailed plans to contractors which show the exact site of important electric cables? Do the authorities carry out investigations to check if faults are caused accidentally or because of lack of precautions?

Ronnie Callus

Aug 5th 2012, 17:59

Dan messu jara Gonzi u mhux jinhela fuq il-passat. Power Station -Gdida qalulna fejn kellna qtuh aktar milli kella kemm kella dik tal-Marsa li tghidtx kemm kontu tajru biha lil Mintoff. Tafu tisthu jew,??? Sew jghidu li meta tispicca l-MISTHIJA minn wicc il-bniedem jispicca KOLLOX.

J. Scicluna

Aug 5th 2012, 17:51

How come it's ALWAYS somebody else's fault!?!

Road works, hot tarmac, aliens etc etc etc!

Enemalta (like any Service Provider) is contracted to provide a service and when it does NOT, it should be hit financially and then sue whoever caused the fault (if it IS true).

GL Calleja

Aug 5th 2012, 17:50

Time to pay up Enemalta? An apology won't do.

Dennis Zammit

Aug 5th 2012, 17:47

Really ???

No standby generation backup ????

Joseph Camilleri

Aug 5th 2012, 17:45

Whhooopsss! Being such a great company, i'm sure that ST lawyers will seek compensation... Unlike me, who had a fridge, TV, a PC tower case and a bulb (:D) busted due to an electricity cut and the high voltage which returned when the power came back on!

SHAME