The Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD) will be holding an urgent meeting today, over the recent power cuts that have been affecting the Maltese islands.

The meeting is expected to see the partners briefed by Enemalta officials, this newsroom is informed, and they will be able to ask questions about the situation.

Malta has seen a a series of power cuts, with Enemalta having told the press on 30 December that the interconnector between Malta and Sicily was damaged.

The MCESD is composed of representatives from the General Workers’ Union, UĦM - Voice of the Workers, the Confederation of Malta Trade Unions, the Malta Employers' Association, the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association, the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry, the Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises, For.U.M and others.

Malta is back to pre-interconnector times owing to the fact that two out of the three interconnector cables suffered severe damage last week, Enemalta officials had told the press.

“It is not known when the necessary repairs will be completed, and this means that more power cuts are expected,” they said.

“Our suspicion is that the cable was severed by a boat anchor,” an Enemalta spokesperson said. “Two out of the three cables are damaged, and therefore the interconnector is out of action.”

Malta has been suffering a spate of widespread power cuts in the last weeks, including a nationwide cut two days before Christmas, the when the interconnector was damaged.

That incident triggered a nationwide blackout because the interconnector had been carrying the maximum load.  This was due to “technical limitations” at the Delimara power station, Enemalta said.

The interconnector provides 200 Megawatts (MW), while the other plants such as D2A provide 70MW, D2B provides 85MW, D3, which works with gas oil provides 153MW, and D4 provides 210MW. There is also the Marsa Gas Turbine 35MW and the maximum recorded PV’s 100MW (which can be run only during the day).