Enemalta has said that it expects electricity supply in Valletta to be restored by Thursday morning after a fault in an overloaded underground cable left parts of the capital relying on temporary generators, Chairperson Ryan Fava said during a press briefing.
Fava described the current temperatures as "alarming", saying the heatwave had driven electricity demand to record levels, placing significant pressure on the national grid.
"The large number of megawatts being used brings challenges to the network," he said, adding that Enemalta believes the electricity network must continue to be strengthened and expanded to cope with increasing demand.
Valletta is among the areas earmarked for infrastructure upgrades, Fava said, noting that works in the capital are particularly challenging because of its heritage status and the complexity of underground infrastructure.
He explained that Enemalta identified a fault in one of Valletta's underground cables after it became overloaded. While repairs are underway, the corporation has deployed temporary generators at selected locations to maintain electricity supply.
Repairing the cable requires excavation, Fava said, adding that crews must also ensure that no water or moisture has entered the damaged section because the cable must be completely dry before repairs can be completed. Excavation works were set to begin immediately.
Addressing reports that multiple substations had caught fire, Fava clarified that only one substation in St Julian's was affected. He said the fire was caused by the high temperatures and thanked the Civil Protection Department for extinguishing it.
"I want to make clear that these were not a number of substations but only one," he said, insisting that the overall situation remains under control.
Fava urged customers experiencing electricity problems to contact Enemalta, describing the electricity network as "a living system" that requires continuous maintenance and investment. He added that areas where upgrades had already been carried out had shown positive results during the current period of exceptionally high demand.
He expressed hope that Valletta's electricity supply would return to normal "in the coming hours, by next morning".
Replying to questions from journalists, Enemalta officials compared the current situation with the widespread power cuts experienced in 2023. They said the circumstances differed because the 2023 outages involved multiple N-1 faults affecting network resilience.
Officials also noted that electricity demand has risen substantially since then, with peak load increasing from 663 megawatts in 2023 to 741 megawatts this year - an increase of around 80 megawatts.
Enemalta also said it is coordinating with Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci to support vulnerable residents during prolonged outages. Officials explained that when an area is expected to remain without electricity for an extended period, registered individuals who rely on electrically powered medical equipment are identified and notified so that assistance can be provided.
According to Enemalta, the localities most affected by the recent outages were Birkirkara, Gudja, Luqa and Valletta.
Enemalta did not answer a question from The Malta Independent asking how many power cuts had been recorded over the past week.
Asked whether Enemalta or the government would consider compensating residents and businesses who have experienced repeated and prolonged outages resulting in spoiled food, disrupted sleep, loss of business and other hardship, Fava referred to the government's earlier announcement that households and businesses affected by electricity outages lasting more than six hours during the ongoing heatwave would once again be eligible for compensation.