Enemalta said Saturday it has deployed 14 diesel-powered generators in various localities in a bid to tackle persistent power cuts in various localities in Malta and Gozo.

Addressing the media, executive chairman Ryan Fava said five of these generators are owned by Enemalta while the other nine were sub-contracted from private parties.

Flanked by Energy Minister Miriam Dalli, Fava said a tender was awarded for more generators and they will be on stand-by should they be required.

“We are trying our upmost not to let people in the dark for hours at a time,” he said.

Power cuts have hit again this summer in spite of what Enemalta said has been a major upgrade in the distribution network following last summer’s spate of trouble.

Many localities in Malta have been hit by cuts, the latest being St Julian’s, San Gwann, Msida and Gzira in Malta, and Kercem, Ghasri, Gharb and San Lawrenz in Gozo.

Fava said that as temperatures soared a few days ago, Enemalta registered an increase in load between 25MW and 30MW.  Enough power is being generated but it is the distribution network that is letting Enemalta down.

Dalli said that over the past year, Enemalta addressed issues in the distribution network in Dingli, Rabat, Naxxar, Mosta, Kottonera, Żurrieq and Kirkop.  

“This year we are reaping the rewards of the works carried out during the first phase as these localities have only been hit by minor power cuts,” she said.

An NAO report presented in Parliament this week noted that there was not enough investment in the network, and this was the main reason why so many power cuts were being registered.

Fava acknowledged that “the works on the distribution network should have been more aggressive” in the last decade.

Buġibba, St Paul’s Bay and Qawra, St Julian's, Sliema and Gżira; Birkirkara and Attard; and Żebbuġ and Qormi are areas that require further investment in the distribution network