Enemalta said Wednesday that a record 713MW demand was reached on Monday, substantially exceeding the previous peak of 663MW recorded in 2023.

The statement followed yet another day and night of power cuts as the power grid was unable to keep up with demand as several localities were hit with electricity failure.

A Uefa Conference League match between Floriana and Drita of Kosovo was interrupted because of a power cut in the evening.

The stadium plunged into darkness during the second half as power flickered off and on three times amid efforts to activate a backup generator, forcing the referee to add 13 minutes of extra time during which both teams managed to score.

Concurrently, Enemalta reported grid failures affecting Vittoriosa, Qormi, Ghaxaq, Gudja, Hamrun, Kalkara, Luqa, Marsa, Paola, Pieta, Sta Lucija, and Tarxien, while readers noted additional outages in Mosta, Mellieha, San Gwann and St Paul's Bay around the same time.

In Mosta, one particular area was without power for at least 20 hours. 

The government continues to insist that it is heavily investing in the distribution system, with the Prime Minister apologising. It was of little consolation as people were constrained to dispose of food they had in the fridges and freezers after prolonged power cuts, stretching into hours.

Energy Minister Miriam Dalli came under fire on social media after her comments that electricity was restored after "half an hour, maybe an hour", with many people commenting that they spent much more than that without power.

Temperatures have soared to 42-43 degrees over the past days, with the situation expected to get better tomorrow when 35 degrees are forecast.

In its statement, Enemalta said its engineers, technicians and contractors continue to work constantly restore electricity supply to customers affected by a number of cable faults following unprecedented demand during the intense heatwave.

Technical teams worked throughout the night restoring power in several localities and are working in the areas where repair works are ongoing.

Alternative sources of electricity supply are also being provided where possible to minimise disruption while repairs continue.

"Significant progress has already been made, with electricity supply restored in localities including Birkirkara, Balzan, Lija, Iklin, Xemxija and Mellieħa," the company said.

Efforts are currently focused on parts of Cottonera, Kalkara, Fgura and Żabbar, where several cable faults are being addressed.

Yesterday, electricity demand reached a record 713MW, substantially exceeding the previous peak of 663MW recorded in 2023.

Enemalta Executive Chairperson Inġ. Ryan Fava assured the public that every available resource has been mobilised to restore supply as quickly and safely as possible.

"Our teams have been working continuously to restore electricity to affected customers, and they will remain on site until these works are completed. We fully understand the difficulties these interruptions have caused and sincerely thank the public for their patience and understanding," he said. Inġ. Fava said Enemalta has sufficient electricity generation capacity to meet demand; however, the combination of exceptionally high temperatures over a prolonged period of time and unprecedented electricity consumption placed extraordinary pressure on parts of the distribution network.

"We remain committed to continuing with our investment programme to strengthen the resilience of the electricity distribution network so it can continue to meet Malta's growing energy demands." Enemalta also confirms that adequate manpower remains available, with additional teams on standby to respond to any further faults if required. The company notes that areas where network reinforcement works have already been completed have performed well despite the record demand, demonstrating the value of the extensive investment programme currently under way.

These ongoing works form part of Enemalta's nine-year investment plan to further strengthen and future-proof Malta's electricity distribution network. A dedicated helpline, 153, is available to the public on a 24-hour basis. Restoring electricity supply to all affected customers as quickly and safely as possible remains Enemalta's absolute priority.