Almost 15 per cent of all electricity generated in Malta over the past decade was lost in transmission, official statistics released yesterday revealed.
Of the 22.4 million megawatt hours generated between 2000 and 2010, approximately 3.3 million were “lost or unaccounted for”. Lost electricity reached a high in 2008, when one-fifth of the power generated never made it to its destination.
The figure represents one of the highest in Europe and is well above the global average of transmission losses of 8.8 per cent as estimated by the European Copper Institute.
Transmission losses are a standard part of electricity provision, with power lost to resistance as it flows through the grid. Such losses can be reduced through efficient network design and investing in modern – and well-maintained – grid infrastructure.
Losses are also incurred by illegal grid connections, a problem that plagues developing countries such as Brazil and India.
To calculate the complete efficiency of locally-produced electricity, the 14.9 per cent transmission losses must be added to the massive losses caused by fossil fuel combustion.
Burning fossil fuels – Malta’s predominant source of energy – is already highly inefficient, with more than half the energy contained in the original fuel lost to generate electricity.
Delimara’s new power station is 47 per cent efficient. That is more than double the 23 per cent efficiency managed by the power plant in Marsa.
Energy consumption statistics also reveal that domestic use of electricity plummeted in 2009, with families using almost 30 per cent less energy than in 2007.
The statistics, which cover the years between 2000 and 2011, show how demand for electricity rose steadily over the past decade, with two slight dips in 2009 and 2010.
Demand for electricity peaked in 2007, when Enemalta faced average monthly maximum demands of 363 megawatts.
Other countries
Belgium – 5%
Bulgaria – 11%
Cyprus – 4%
Ethiopia – 10%
France – 6%
India – 24%
Spain – 3%
Thailand – 6%
UK – 7%
USA – 6 %
Zimbabwe – 7%
Source: World Bank Human Development Indicators (2009 data)