Two different, but equally important, news items were extensively reported in the media over the past days – both related to the generation of electricity.

We had Investments, Industry and IT Minister Austin Gatt being shown around the Lm1.4 million Enemalta distribution centre in Marsascala, almost at the same time that Competitiveness and Communications Minister Censu Galea was presenting an update of the National Reform Programme during which it emerged that the government will be identifying the most feasible ways and means of connecting to the European energy grid by the end of the year.

The Marsascala centre will not stand on its own. Another seven such centres will be built around Malta in the near future, all planned to improve the distribution of electricity as the demand for power continues to increase. And it is precisely the increase in demand for power that has pushed Enemalta into investing in an expansion project that will serve to meet the exigencies of the future.

For one thing, the Marsascala centre is already geared to sustain SmartCity with electricity when the Ricasoli area is transformed into a hub of activity over the next few years. It is useless planning for SmartCity unless the facilities needed to run such projects are not available.

There was a time when electricity supply in Malta was not efficient. Power cuts were the order of the day, and this affected the water supply too. But, over a period of time, the investment made in this sector enabled the country to meet its growing needs – that of a population that was growing in numbers and which used more and more appliances generated by electricity, and that of a growing manufacturing and tourism industry that also needed more power.

Of course, we cannot rest on our laurels, but must continue to upgrade the sector – both in terms of the supply that is generated as well as its distribution. The Marsascala centre, for example, will reduce the need for maintenance of overhead cables, also meaning that Enemalta would be able to fix a power cut substantially more quickly than it does at present.

Added to all this is the idea to connect Malta to the European energy grid, which is certainly an ambitious project but one that is necessary so that Malta will not be isolated. Having such a connection would mean that Malta will not be so susceptible to power cuts, and this in itself is already favourable news for industry and domestic consumers.

A decision on what the most feasible option is in this regard is to be taken before the end of the year, after consultation with German consultants Laymeyer International.

Such interconnection will however not be the only source of electricity, as it is known that the government is working on other projects related to energy, such as the proposed multi-megawatt offshore wind farm project as well as the generation of electricity from waste. Funding from the European Union will help to offset the costs involved in such projects.

The government’s intentions on this sector are clear. It is working on different fronts, especially since there also needs to be an investment in alternative sources of energy other than the one that we are accustomed to. Still, the objective is only one – that to generate more power and to distribute it better.

One other point mentioned was the loss of electricity. The effort put in to reduce the losses – which amount to millions of liri – brought down the amount of power lost to 13 per cent. Enemalta must continue to work harder to further cut down on this loss.