Enemalta defends Gozo grid investment after power cuts hit recently upgraded areas

While works on Gozo’s electricity infrastructure have taken place, “we are aware of the importance of continuing to strengthen the higher-voltage infrastructure supplying the island,” Enemalta said, outlining plans that it has for the future.

Gozo faced widespread power cuts at the end of August, which were caused by two separate faults affecting the 33kV high-voltage cables supplying the island. Some areas spent more than 24 hours without power. The power cuts were described by tourism operators as 'embarassing' and damaging.

Responding to questions by this newsroom, including whether the areas impacted were ones which had already seen investment in energy infrastructure in the past three years, the energy company explained that the faults affected higher voltage cables rather than the the smaller cables which had been subject to prior investment.

Enemalta, through the energy ministry, said that the infrastructure reinforcement undertaken in Gozo since 2023 has focused primarily on the 11kV distribution network, which delivers electricity to consumers across the island.

“The areas affected by the outage are served by this reinforced network, but the faults themselves occurred further upstream, on the separate 33kV high-voltage network. This is why areas which have benefited from recent investment could still be affected by the interruption.”

The 33 kV network supplies the 33 kV distribution centres across Malta and Gozo. At these distribution centres, transformers reduce the voltage from 33 kV to 11 kV, which is distributed through 11 kV feeders to numerous secondary substations, which then reduces the amount further before reaching peoples' homes.

Enemalta said that since 2023, it has commissioned 18 new substations, completed four transformer upgrades, laid 24 kilometres of 11kV underground cables, replaced equipment in nine switchgear installations and automated 43 substations to improve monitoring, fault detection and restoration times. Currently Gozo is served through 175 substations.

This means that the reinforcement works carried out were on a different level of the network and have increased the capacity, flexibility and resilience of Gozo’s distribution system, it added.

“At the same time, we are aware of the importance of continuing to strengthen the higher-voltage infrastructure supplying the island.” In this regard, it said it has already been planning further investment in this part of the network. In January 2026, it said, the company presented its nine-year national plan, which includes a new 132kV interconnection between Malta and Gozo and two new distribution centres in Għajnsielem and the Victoria/Kerċem area.

“Moreover Enemalta is analysing alternatives to always ensure more reliability to Gozo as an island within an island.”

In July, Enemalta also issued a pre-market consultation for the proposed 132kV link as preparations for the project move forward, it said.

“It is important to note that it is not the case that all electricity supplied to Gozo passes through a single distribution centre,” it said when asked.

“Gozo is supplied through multiple high-voltage connections and associated infrastructure forming part of the interconnected system between Malta, Comino and Gozo. One of the faults on Friday occurred on a section of the high-voltage cable route in the Comino area, but the system does not rely on a single distribution centre or a single route to supply electricity to Gozo.”