Some 50 owners of illegal boathouses at Armier Bay have had their electricity supply cut off since the beginning of the year after failing to pay their bills, this newspaper has learnt.
Sources who spoke to this newspaper recently claimed that there had been a spike in the number of boathouses having had their electricity cut off.
Contacted about the claims, Enemalta spokesman David Vella confirmed that the company had suspended the electricity service for “several temporary and permanent connection services located in the Armier area”.
He insisted, however, that this was all “standard procedure”. It was the case at any other household with an electricity supply and had nothing to do with efforts to address the illegalities in the area.
On the claims that there had recently been a spike in suspensions, Mr Vella said that he was not aware of any increase in suspensions, adding that boathouse owners were more likely to complain about suspensions in summer when they move to the area for stretches of time.
Mr Vella said that when customers failed to pay their utility bills, the State utilities billing company, ARMS Ltd, a subsidiary of Enemalta, sent out reminders, and when these were ignored, a suspension notice was sent, with a specified timeframe indicating the date by which payments had to be settled.
“Customers who make use of Enemalta’s temporary electricity supply services, including connections for kiosks, outdoor events, construction sites and boathouses, receive a text message a few days before the service is due for renewal,” Mr Vella said.
According to the Enemalta spokesman, the duration of each temporary electricity connection is clearly indicated in the documents a customer submits when applying for the service.
Boathouses at Armier are fitted with either a permanent electricity supply, similar to that in normal households, or a temporary one.
According to Mr Vella, by providing temporary connections, the company can further clamp down on abuse. The boathouses were connected to the electricity grid last year after being fitted with smart meters, and while the move caused a public uproar, the government insisted they would help clamp down on illegalities.
Earlier this year, this newspaper reported that some 60 owners spent the winter months repainting walls, changing tiles and carrying out plastering works, as the connection to the electricity grid and water supply led many owners to believe they would not be made to leave any time soon.
The buildings at Armier Bay – mainly those near the Torri l-Abjad and Ramlet il-Qortin area – have been the subject of criticism for years, because they were built on public land without a permit or title to the land.