Malta recorded the largest increase in household electricity consumption in the EU between 2015 and 2024, with consumption rising by almost 66%, according to Eurostat figures highlighted by Mark Anthony Sammut.
Sammut shared the figures on social media, pointing to what he described as a failure in Malta's energy policy strategy and the lack of enforcement of building efficiency standards.
The Eurostat data shows that household electricity consumption in Malta increased by around 66% between 2015 and 2024, compared with an average increase of just 3.07% across the EU.
Estonia recorded the second-largest increase at around 36%, meaning Malta's rise was almost twice as high as that of the next EU member state.
Sammut argued that the increase cannot simply be attributed to population growth, instead linking it to Malta's energy strategy and the enforcement of building regulations.
He highlighted Technical Document F, introduced through a 2015 Legal Notice, which sets requirements intended to improve the energy efficiency of buildings, including roof insulation, wall insulation where applicable, double glazing and rainwater storage.
Questioning whether buildings constructed over the past 11 years have consistently met these requirements, Sammut argued that the standards have too often remained on paper rather than being properly enforced.
He said Malta has continued to construct buildings that are poorly equipped to deal with heat, meaning residents increasingly rely on air conditioning to maintain comfortable temperatures.
The issue becomes particularly significant during heatwaves, when electricity demand reaches record levels. Sammut pointed to peak demand recently exceeding 740MW, while claiming that cooling accounts for almost 60% of peak electricity demand.
He argued that properly enforcing insulation and energy-efficiency requirements could reduce electricity demand during the hottest periods, easing pressure on the national grid when cables and substations are already under significant strain.
"A serious energy policy" should therefore focus not only on increasing electricity supply, but also on reducing demand and improving energy efficiency, Sammut said.
He also argued that Malta's energy strategy has placed too much emphasis on meeting rising demand rather than addressing why household consumption is increasing so rapidly.
The figures show a stark contrast between Malta and much of the rest of Europe. While consumption rose slightly at EU level over the nine-year period, several member states recorded decreases, including Luxembourg, Belgium and Sweden.
Sammut said the figures demonstrate the need for greater political responsibility on energy efficiency, arguing that subsidies for consumers should not come at the expense of efforts to make buildings more efficient.
The post ultimately links Malta's soaring household electricity consumption to the country's construction practices, building standards and growing dependence on cooling, warning that failing to address energy efficiency could continue putting unnecessary pressure on the electricity grid.