Peak electricity demand has remained consistently high at between 680MW and 700MW over the past month, with consumption now staying close to peak levels for longer periods of the day, according to Enemalta’s latest data.
Enemalta said that while in previous years demand typically peaked between noon and 3pm, before rising again at around 7pm as people returned home from work, this summer has seen a marked change in consumption patterns.
Demand is now reaching high levels from around midday and remaining elevated until late in the evening, compared with previous summers when consumption tended to ease between 3 and 7pm.
The trend comes against a backdrop of sharply rising household electricity use. Recent Eurostat data shows that electricity consumption by Maltese households increased by almost 66 per cent between 2015 and 2024; the highest increase in the EU and well above the EU-wide rise of just over three per cent during the same period.
In 2023, Malta recorded what was then an all-time peak of 663MW. That record was surpassed last month when demand climbed to 741MW, almost 12 per cent higher.
With high temperatures continuing over the coming days, electricity demand is expected to remain elevated, and Enemalta is encouraging customers, including commercial entities, to use electricity efficiently without compromising their comfort or health.
Setting air-conditioning at around 25°C provides effective cooling while avoiding unnecessary energy use. To use air conditioning efficiently and effectively, keep doors and windows closed and cool the rooms you are actually using.
Source: Enemalta
