Malta-Gozo interconnector draws interest from six companies

Six companies have submitted responses to Enemalta's pre-market consultation for a proposed new high-voltage electricity connection between Malta and Gozo.

During the summer, Gozo experienced prolonged power cuts after faults affected two cables supplying electricity to the island. The outages occurred during a heatwave affecting the Maltese Islands.

The consultation, launched in July, was aimed at gauging market interest and gathering feedback from potential suppliers before Enemalta proceeds with a formal procurement process.

Enemalta executive chairperson Ryan Fava said the six responses indicate interest from industry, while stressing that participation in the consultation does not mean the companies will necessarily go on to submit bids for the project.

The proposed project involves a new 132kV electricity connection between Malta and Gozo, incorporating both submarine and land-based cable infrastructure. It also involves a submarine cable of around 20 kilometres, together with land-based sections on both islands, connecting Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq near Magħtab with Għajnsielem in Gozo.

The two islands are currently connected through lower-capacity 33kV cables.

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.

The consultation sought industry feedback on a range of technical and operational aspects, including the design, construction and installation of the cable, as well as the requirements for underwater and onshore works.

The pre-market consultation represents an early stage in the procurement process and allows Enemalta to obtain information from companies with expertise in high-voltage transmission, subsea cabling and related infrastructure.

The project follows a €45 million investment commitment for a new high-voltage Malta-Gozo connection made during the general election campaign in 2026.

The new link forms part of broader investment in Malta's electricity network, alongside ongoing efforts to strengthen interconnection capacity with Sicily and improve the resilience of the national grid.