Interconnect Malta has received four submissions following the closure of the Preliminary Market Consultation concerning the potential generation of renewable electricity in North Africa and its transmission to Malta through a dedicated cable link.
The submissions were received from prospective project proponents that include consortia and groupings bringing together well-established local and international companies with experience across the energy, infrastructure, engineering and project-development sectors.
The Preliminary Market Consultation was issued to assess market preparedness and investor interest in developing renewable energy generation projects in North Africa connected directly to Malta. It also sought non-binding technical and financial information, including indicative electricity prices, to support the Government's preliminary assessment of the economic and financial feasibility of such an initiative and its comparison with other potential energy options.
The receipt of the submissions does not constitute the selection of a preferred proponent or a commitment to proceed with any particular project, yet it will provide Government with evidence-based information that can support the assessment of the available options and guide future energy-policy decisions.
A potential renewable energy connection with North Africa has long been identified as an important avenue for further investigation within Malta's energy planning. It is also reflected across several pillars of the Government's Malta's Energy Shift document, particularly those concerning security, sustainability and diversification of the country's power supply.
The document outlines Malta's long-term ambition to strengthen energy cooperation across the Mediterranean and establish a network of interconnections linking North Africa and Southern Europe, positioning the country as a potential regional crossroad for clean energy exchange.
Minister for Energy, Dr. Miriam Dalli said: "Malta's Energy Vision sets out a clear direction for a power system that is increasingly secure, sustainable, diversified and centred around the long-term interests of Maltese families and businesses. Exploring the potential of renewable energy connections with North Africa forms part of this vision and of our ambition to strengthen cooperation across the Mediterranean.
The four submissions demonstrate that there is tangible market interest in this opportunity. They will now be assessed carefully so that any future decisions are based on robust technical and economic evidence. A potential connection with North Africa could diversify Malta's sources and geographical routes of energy supply, support our decarbonisation objectives and strengthen Malta's role as a Mediterranean Green Energy Hub."
By providing access to renewable electricity generated from North Africa's significant solar and wind resources, Malta's energy mix could be further diversified whilst reducing the country's exposure to any single source or geographical route of supply.
It could also contribute towards greater energy resilience, support progress towards Malta's national and European decarbonisation objectives and strengthen the country's strategic position between North Africa and Southern Europe. The potential economic, environmental and security-of-supply benefits will form part of the detailed analysis to be carried out following this consultation.
The information received will now be reviewed by the appointed evaluation team.
Interconnect Malta Divisional Manager Inġ. Alexandra Meli said: "The four submissions will provide the evaluation team with valuable technical, commercial and financial information on the solutions being proposed by the market. Our next step is to undertake a detailed and structured assessment of the different generation arrangements, transmission infrastructure, delivery models, indicative costs, implementation timelines and technical risks."
As part of the evaluation process, Interconnect Malta intends to hold meetings with the participating economic operators. These discussions will provide each proponent with an opportunity to explain its proposed solution in greater detail, while enabling the evaluation team to request clarifications and develop a more comprehensive understanding of the respective proposals.
The findings of the evaluation will ultimately assist the Government in considering the technical and economic feasibility of the proposals and determining the most appropriate way forward for Malta's future energy system.