The Cabinet has given its go-ahead for the second Malta-Sicily interconnector, Energy Minister Miriam Dalli said on Tuesday.

The 200-megawatt cable will cost around €170 million. It will run parallel to the existing interconnector that links Malta with Ragusa. The project is expected to be completed in 2025. 

Speaking at a press conference, Dalli said a study has shown that the best way to meet the growing demand in electricity is a second interconnector. The study was conducted by international consultancy firm France Electric.

Dalli said that Malta and Ragusa already have the facilities needed to support a second cable.

Other connections were looked into, including other areas in Italy as well as Tunisia and Greece, but Sicily was found to be the best option.

Dalli said the project will help cut emissions from the energy sector by 58%.

She said the demand for electricity increased by 18% over the past four years and will continue to increase with the introduction of more electric vehicles as well as the shore-to-ship supply.

The second interconnector will strengthen our security of supply, she said.

The project will now move to a technical phase which will include seabed studies. A call for expressions of interest will then be issued.  

PN statement

The Nationalist Party said that the government made the announcement of the second interconnector after the PN had said it would introduce it. “It was the PN, in January 2020, that spoke of the need to introduce the second interconnector as an action that is needed immediately.”

The PN spoke about Electrogas adding that since it began operating, the first interconnector saw a drop from 87% use to 25% use.