While the Leader of the Opposition says he wants to meet with the MCESD to discuss the challenges in the energy sector, the Minister for the Environment, Energy and Regeneration of the Great Port Miriam Dalli has already met and will continue to meet with MCESD to discuss solutions, including the largest investment in electricity distribution in the country.
The social partners were, still are and will continue to be updated with the investment being made in the distribution system of our country, in meetings which are also attended by the technicians. This is because responsibility demands that we continue to invest in better infrastructure for today and for the future, as this government is doing.
The Leader of the Opposition also referred to the compensation when the social partners were involved in the compensation system that has already been designed and that will be operated again this summer.
Meanwhile, as was also explained by Minister Miriam Dalli and the management of Enemalta in a press briefing last Saturday, this year 82 kilometers of underground cables have already been laid and 32 new substations have been built. At the same time, work was done on 36 transformers in substations and the replacement of 22 switchgears in different substations. This is as part of an intensive plan that should continue to build on the reforms in the energy sector in recent years.
In the first phase of this investment, work was carried out in the areas of Wied il-Għajn, Kalkara, Bormla, Birgu, Żurrieq, Ħal Safi, Ħal Kirkop, Ħal Far, Ħad Dingli, Ħaz-Zebbuġ and Ħal Luqa , Rabat, Mosta and Naxxar in Malta. In Gozo, works were carried out in Qala, Sannat, Nadur, Xlendi and part of Marsalforn.
In the second phase of the works that has already started, work will be carried out from Marsa to Siġġiewi and Žebbuġ, Żabbar and Ricasoli, San Ġwann, San Điljan and l’Gzira, Sliema and Attard, Birkirkara, Hamrun and Santa Venera, Fgura, Mellieħa, Bugibba and Qawra in Malta. While in Gozo, work continued in Marsalforn and Xagħra, and reinforcement work will be done in the areas of Għarb, KerĽem, Għasri, San Lawrenz and Rabat, Gozo.
Between 2022 and 2023, 80 new substations, 18km of Medium Voltage Reinforcements, 44 switchgear replacements, 22 uprate transformers and 145 feeders were built among others.
With these there was an extension of the distribution centers in Marsaskala, Mrieħel and Ħal-Tarxien. As part of another phase of investment in distribution, new distribution centers will be built in Siġġiewi and Naxxar.
A responsible government offers the solutions as it offered in recent years when in the face of international crises it kept energy bills stable, as it did in relation to energy supply where it completed a new LNG power station, completed the first interconnector and started working on the second interconnector which is currently being worked on.
There was also a strong increase in the generation of energy from renewable sources which must now be complemented by the investment in Battery Energy Storage Systems.
All this is part of a plan for the sector that the government will continue to work on and that will continue to be implemented.
Source: Ministry for Environment and Energy
