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.