The Nationalist Party has said that people are paying the price for a Government that has brought the country's infrastructure to its knees as thousands of Maltese people have been left without electricity or facing voltage problems
"Another summer, yet the problems remain the same. It seems that in our country, having electricity during the summer has become a luxury," the PN said in a statement on Friday.
The statement comes as power cuts were reported across multiple localities, as the summer heat ramped up ahead of what is expected to be a significant hot spell of weather.
"Maltese families have now endured at least four summers of power cuts and voltage problems. Over the past few hours, thousands of people were left without electricity and had to spend the night in extreme heat," the party said.
The PN said that this is the result of a Government that has brought our country's infrastructure to its knees and neglected it for years, despite the sharp increase in the population.
"Despite the inconvenience caused by roads being dug up for trenching works, and despite the considerable efforts of Enemalta employees, it is clear that this Government has completely failed to plan the electricity system properly, and it is the people who are paying the price," the PN said.
"Many people are being forced to cover the cost of damage to household appliances due to voltage problems, and throw away food that has spoiled because of the power cuts," it added.
The PN said that it has long called for greater seriousness and competence in the provision of a basic service such as electricity.
"Surely, in 2026, having electricity in one's home cannot be considered a luxury or an unreasonable demand. Yet under this Government, even electricity appears to have become a luxury," the party concluded.
The statement was signed by PN MP Mark Anthony Sammut, who is the party's Shadow Minister for Energy and the Environment.
In reply, the Labour Party said the PN is trying to give the impression that no work has been done on the electricity distribution system.
The Labour Government is carrying out the largest investment ever made in the national grid, after inheriting all the challenges that arose due to the lack of investment and planning by the previous government. This government is implementing a nine-year plan with an investment of hundreds of millions of euros, which includes 12 new distribution centres, a new 132kV link between Malta and Gozo, thousands of meters of new cables, and the strengthening of the network across the country to cope with the ever-growing demand.
This is why today Enemalta has more alternatives to reroute customers when there are power outages, so that they are left without electricity for as short a time as possible. Above all, despite the challenges created by extreme climate elements globally and in Europe - which have even disrupted essential services in other countries- Enemalta workers are doing everything they can to ensure the supply to the people is not affected, and the investment made in recent years is crucial to this effort.
All of this while Maltese families and businesses continue to enjoy among the cheapest electricity prices in Europe. The ones who have the credibility to speak about electricity are those who are investing and delivering, not those who left a country with an infrastructure that did not keep up with its needs. The Nationalist Party can keep criticizing and creating panic; a Labour Government will keep delivering results, the PL said.