MaltaMedia.com

Enemalta has reported that after 4 separate cable faults which happened within minutes of each other, Enemalta technicians and engineers were deployed on site to investigate the different faults, which although located on physically different circuits were all affected by the fault current which resulted from the first fault at Valletta DC, and start on the repairs.

The two 11kV cables at Kirkop, supplying ST Microelectronics, tripped due to an earth fault. The cables weren’t damaged; meaning that after testing, supply could be restored.

The faulty feeder from Valletta Distribution centre was identified with two faults which also damaged a transformer within the DC. However, this will not delay the restoration of supply which is expected to be back within the next 2 hours. Another fault which affected Paola, Tarxien, Kordin and Cospicua occurred at almost the same time and is being repaired.

So far, the network engineers have restored electricity through alternative sources to Valletta, Ħamrun, Santa Venera, Pieta, Guardamanġia, Paola, Fgura, Cospicua, Senglea, Msida and Sliema, but works are still underway to fix the cables meaning supply to Gżira and Marsa will be restored in the next few hours.

With regards to the 33kV cable fault affecting the Freeport, Ħal Far industrial area and Birzebbuġa, Żurrieq, Qrendi, Mqabba and surrounding localities, Enemalta employees are on site and works are underway to fix the fault. Since this particular area needs a large amount of energy which cannot all be fully supplied through alternative sources, some consumers may have to wait until the repairs have been completed. These repairs may take up to 12 hours, depending on the extent of the damage, but so far switching of supply has already started at Freeport, Ħal Far industrial estate, Birżebbuġa and Żurrieq.

In the meantime another fault was reported on a cable to the Mosta Distribution Centre affecting the localities of Mosta, Burmarrad, Magħtab and Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq. Enemalta employees are going through fault finding exercises and as soon as the fault is located and isolated, switching can resume.

These strings of faults are likely to be caused by a faulty current which happened after the primary fault; that of the Valletta Distribution Centre.