Cable Detections

Enemalta provides a cable detection service for all excavation activities requiring such support. If Enemalta infrastructure is present, it will be marked on site; if not, you will be informed accordingly.

You need to submit your service request at least three (3) working days before any work begins. 

Send a request on email cabledetections.em@enemalta.com.mt and provide the following information: 

1. Permits
   i)  Transport Malta Permit (RWP) for excavation in public roads or pavements.
   ii) Planning Authority permit if excavation works are in a private site.
2. Site plan, clearly indicating the location of all works.
3. Name and surname of responsible person doing the request.
4. Responsible person, contact mobile number.
5. 1.  

GESIS – Three Phase CT Operated Meter

From June 2024, Enemalta started to install a new smart meter model for bulk supply installations with primary currents up to 1000A per phase.  This new meter model, the GESIS meter is the third meter type in the Second Generation range of Smart Meters to be introduced by Enemalta after the successful installation of the Single Phase and Three Phase Smart meters.

GESIS meters are generally installed in cubicles/enclosures since these are mostly used for industrial and commercial installations.  These meters supplied by Gridspertise, are made from 100% recycled plastic, introduce benefits for the environment both in terms of reducing CO2 and material waste, thus contributing to reach Enemalta’s ISO 14001 EMS objectives.

GESIS Meter conforms to EU MID directive 2014/32/EU, references CEI EN 50470-1, CEI EN 50470-3 and EU RED 2014/53/EU. 

 

Follow this link for more information.

 

Becoming an Enemalta customer

You are likely to become an Enemalta customer for the first time your first property. In this regard, you would need to apply for a new electricity service or transfer an existing electricity service to your name.

To request a new electricity service (Ae Application Form) or to transfer an existing service (F Application Form) to your name, you are invited to fill in the respective application forms, attach the specified documents and submit them to ARMS.

Read these application forms carefully, including the list of documents which we need to receive to be able to process your application. The forms also include information about the applicable fees. 

Transferring an existing account
 If you are buying a property that has an electricity supply, the previous owners must fill in and sign the relevant parts of the F Application Form and settle all pending dues on their account up to the date of the contract of sale. If the previous owners of the property you are buying do not settle their pending water and electricity accounts with ARMS, you will not be able to transfer the account onto your name. 

Getting you connected
Before applying for a new service, make sure that your internal electricity circuits meet all required standards and regulations set out in the Electricity Connection and Supply Regulations (S.L. 545.41), the Electrical Installations Regulations (S.L. 545.39) and the Network Code. You must also provide us with an adequate space to install the main fuse box, the electricity meter and any other equipment required for your electricity service. This space needs to be as close to the property’s entrance as possible. In some cases, we may also provide you with specific instructions on the location of the main fuse box and electricity meter as per applicable legislation.    

Once your application for a new service is processed and all applicable fees are paid, we will provide you with an electricity supply as soon as possible within 21 days, as long as no additional network development works are required. Additional network development works are necessary when requesting a new service in areas beyond the existing network’s reach, or when the existing network capacity needs to be expanded to accommodate the services you require.

These works may include the extension or installation of new overhead power lines or underground cables, and any other necessary transmission equipment to provide you with an adequate supply. In such situations, we would require more time to provide you with a supply, depending on the works involved.

Sometimes, we also use additional materials and equipment specifically for your connection. If this is the case, we will provide you with a quotation for the required expenses within 30 business days from the date of validation of application. Once you pay for these additional costs (within a fixed timeframe), we will carry out the necessary works to provide you with the electricity supply as soon as possible. If you disagree to these additional costs, you can withdraw your application or refer your case to the Regulator for Water and Energy Services for its consideration. Once your application is withdrawn, we will refund any application fees paid, with the exception of an administrative processing fee.

Technical service specifications

We are committed to providing you with an optimal service in line with all applicable regulations and international standards.
Here are the technical service levels of the electricity supply that we provide you with.

System Voltage
Malta’s distribution system network operates at these nominal voltages:

Low Voltage (LV)	230 V – phase to neutral
Low Voltage (LV)	400 V – phase to phase
Medium Voltage (MV)	11,000 V (11 kV)
Medium Voltage (MV)	33,000 V (33 kV)

 
Our engineers and technicians monitor and operate the distribution system to ensure that the voltage of your supply complies with these levels. Residential electricity supplies are provided through the low voltage range. The tolerance of this range shall be 230 V +/- 10% (phase-neutral). The resulting voltage at different points on the system depends on several factors, but can be expected to be in accordance with the following table under steady state and normal operating conditions.

Nominal voltage	Steady-state tolerance	Impulse voltage
230 V (single phase)	±10%	6 kV
400 V (across phases)	±10%	6 kV
11 kV (across phases)	+5, -5%	75 kV
33 kV (across phases)	+5, -10%	170 kV

System Frequency
The nominal frequency of the distribution system voltage is 50 Hz. We aim to maintain the cumulative frequency drift over a 30-day period as close to zero as possible. Under normal operating conditions, the mean value measured over 10 seconds of the fundamental frequency shall be within a range of:

50 Hz ± 1% (i.e. 49.5 to 50.5 Hz) during 99.5% of a year; 
50 Hz -5/+4% (i.e. 47.5 to 52.0 Hz) during 100% of the time.

Service level difficulties
 If you have reason to believe that the voltage and frequency levels of our service are not within the specified limits, you are encouraged to report your concerns to our Customer Care team immediately. Your report will be investigated in less than 30 days. If any interventions are necessary to resolve your difficulties, we will seek to implement them as soon as possible, within 30 days following the conclusion of investigations, unless extensive network development works are required.   

Network Code
The Network Code which is published by Enemalta plc as the Distribution System Operator in Malta, defines the technical safety criteria and the technical rules establishing the minimum technical design and operation requirements for the connection to the system of generating installations, distribution system, directly connected consumer ‘s equipment, interconnector circuits and direct lines. This code also sets the minimum operational rules and obligations on the network security and foreseeable circumstances in which security shall be maintained.

 Volt-Var Control Settings for Non-Synchronous Inverters

Non-Synchronous inverters with volt-var control are regulated by the Electricity Connections and Supply Regulations, S.L.545.41, Regulation 11 (3)(a).

The required settings are given below:

Voltage support by reactive Power compensation through Volt-Var Control for Non-Synchronous Inverters
	Single-phase	Three-phase
Connection Voltage	230V	400V
Max Output Power (kW)	0.8 to ≤ 4.6	0.8 to ≤ 41.0
Lower Voltage Level for 0% Var Generation	220V	382V
Lower Voltage Level for 100% Var Generation	210V	365V
Higher Voltage Level for 0% Var Absorption	240V	415V
Higher Voltage Level for 100% Var Absorption	250V	435V

The inverters must be capable of operation with a power factor over the entire range of:

Single-phase	Three-phase
0.85 lagging to 0.85 leading	0.85 lagging to 0.85 leading

 

Anti-Islanding Protection Settings

In the event that a part of the Network, to which Generators are connected, becomes detached from the rest of the system, anti-islanding protection must operate to prevent any connection of the Generator to the Network for the duration of the outage.  Any non-compliance with this requirement may contribute to health and safety risks for personnel working on the grid and could potentially lead to legal escalations.

 The required settings are given below:

Anti-Islanding Protection Settings
Connection Voltage	0.23kV (Single-Phase)	0.4kV        (Three-Phase)	11kV	33kV
Under Voltage (p.u.)	0.8		0.8	0.8
Under Voltage Time (sec)	2.5		2.5	2.5
Over Voltage 1 (p.u.)	1.14		1.10	1.10
Over Voltage Time 1 (sec)	1.0		1.0	1.0
Over Voltage 2 (p.u.)	1.19		1.13	1.13
Over Voltage Time 2 (sec)	0.5		0.3	0.3
Under Frequency 1 (Hz)	47.5		47.5	47.5
Under Frequency Time 1 (sec)	20		20	20
Over Frequency (Hz)	51.5		51.5	51.5
Over Frequency Time (sec)	15		15	15
RoCoF (Hz/sec)	1.0		1.0	1.0
RoCoF Time (sec)	0.5		0.5	0.5

 

 

 

Measuring your consumption

Your electricity consumption is measured in kilowatt hours (kWh). One kilowatt hour is the amount of electrical energy consumed when switching on electrical equipment rated at 1,000 watts for one hour. In your bill, one kilowatt hour is represented as one unit.

Customers with high electricity consumption levels connected through dedicated electricity supply cables receive readings in kilovolt-ampere hours (kVAh). This unit represents an electrical power of 1,000 volt-amperes dissipated continuously for a period of one hour.

Your electricity consumption is measured through the electricity meters installed in your property. We measure electricity consumption through smart meters capable of transmitting your electricity consumption data to us remotely. Smart meters also provide you with additional information, including daily consumption readings at the press of a button to help you monitor and control of your energy use.

In some cases, ARMS might still need to send its meter reader to take note of your smart meter readings for billing purposes. If no one provides access to your property, the meter reader will leave a note indicating a second appointment date. If this second attempt fails as well, you will find a note requesting you to submit your readings to ARMS within five days. After this period you may still submit your readings to request an updated invoice, but a minimal administrative fee shall apply. You may refer to the ARMS website for more information about submitting your consumption readings.

Old electricity meters
If you still have older meters installed in your property, you are encouraged to inform our customer care team to have them replaced with a smart meter. Until your meter is replaced, ARMS meter readers will continue visiting your property regularly to take note of your consumption.

Along with ARMS, we may also offer you additional online services related to your smart meter. We will keep you updated with details about these services.

Meter tests
If you suspect that your meter is not recording electricity consumption correctly, you may apply for a meter test by submitting the respective application form (He), along with payment of the applicable fee, to ARMS. We commit ourselves to test your meter and inform you of the outcome within 30 days from the date of application for this service.

If the test confirms that the meter is registering consumption incorrectly, the application fee is refunded to your account and immediate action is taken to repair or replace the meter. Enemalta will also instruct ARMS to review the past consumption registered by the meter and adjust your account accordingly.

Tariffs, billing and payments

Our billing processes are handled by ARMS 

Applicable tariffs
Applicable tariffs for electricity services are regulated through the Electricity Connection and Supply Regulations (S.L. 545.41) and authorised by the Regulator for Energy and Water Services . Electricity tariffs include an annual service fee as well as a consumption charge per unit of electricity consumed. These tariffs vary depending on the type of service (residential, domestic or non-residential), as well as the amount of electricity you make use of.

Our tariffs are based on annual cumulative consumption. However, in light of the fact that meter readings are not taken on an annual basis, the tariffs are applied on a pro-rata basis, depending on the number of days covered by each bill you receive. Where applicable, this procedure applies to eco-reduction as well.

Here are our current electricity tariffs. Any changes to these tariffs will be publicly announced in advance:

 

Refer to the ARMS website for further explanations about the computation of your invoices.

In some cases, if for whatever reason we are unable to obtain your actual meter readings, you may receive invoices based on estimated consumption. Any discrepancies between estimated and actual consumption will be reconciled as soon as your meter readings are obtained.

When, for whatever reason, we are unable to obtain your actual meter readings, we will still send you an invoice based on estimate consumption calculations. In such cases, ARMS will seek to obtain your actual consumption readings and send you bills based on actual readings at least twice a year. If you receive bills based on estimated consumption, you may submit your meter readings to ARMS to receive an updated invoice. You may visit www.smartutilities.com.mt for different options on how you can send your meter readings to ARMS.

ARMS will normally send you invoices by postal mail. If you prefer, ARMS may also offer to send you invoices electronically.

You must settle every invoice by the payment due date to avoid incurring additional late payment charges and interest. ARMS offers different payment methods for your convenience. Each method is clearly explained in the information you receive with each invoice.

Preferred payment method
The most convenient and cost-effective payment method for Domestic and Residential account customers is direct debit. Through this service, you will make sure to avoid late payment consequences and benefit from a 2% discount (or €3, depending which is higher) on each invoice. Payment is automatically withdrawn from your bank account 15 days after the invoice is sent to you. You may refer to the information provided in your invoice, contact ARMS for information on how to apply for this advantageous way of payment.

Paying your bills by direct debit does not impinge on your right to dispute the accuracy of your invoices, as indicated further on in this section. You will still be able to ask ARMS to review your invoices if you believe that they should be amended. If your claim is confirmed, you will be refunded accordingly.

Payment difficulties
We understand that, at times, you may find it difficult to pay your bills on time. In such situations, kindly make sure to contact ARMS  as soon as possible before the deadline specified in your invoice, to seek alternative solutions. These options may include agreements to pay your overdue invoices by monthly instalments. Customer support agents at ARMS will help you identify the best option to settle your dues whilst avoiding further complications.

Non-payment and disconnection of supply
If you fail to settle your invoice within the specified timeframes, interest and late payment fees will be charged to your account. We will also send you reminders to settle your dues in subsequent invoices, as well as a final suspension notice informing you to settle your dues within a specified timeframe to avoid disconnection of supply.

Unfortunately, there are situations where Enemalta and ARMS have no further options but to request the disconnection of your electricity supply. These situations include:

• failure to settle overdue invoices without reaching a payment agreement with ARMS;
• defaulting on a payment programme by not paying one or more of the agreed installments;
• failure to settle invoices for payment of unrecorded electricity due to theft or other irregularities.

A suspension notice will be sent to you before your supply is disconnected. This notice will clearly inform you when your supply will be disconnected and that it will only be reconnected after you settle your dues (or reach a payment agreement with ARMS) and pay the applicable reconnection fees.

Once you effect payment, your electricity supply can take up to 24 hours to be restored. Reconnection times may take even longer during emergency situations, such as severe weather conditions, when our technical support teams would need to prioritise requests for urgent assistance from other customers.

This final warning will not be sent to you if you are defaulting on payment for unrecorded electricity due to theft (or other irregularities), or if you fail to honour a payment agreement. In these two instances, we may proceed with disconnecting your supply immediately.

If you do not pay your dues and your supply is disconnected, reconnection may only take place once you meet the conditions indicated in the suspension notice, including settlement of pending dues and interest accrued (or signing of a payment agreement) as well as the applicable late payment charges and reconnection fees.

Disconnection of supply does not relieve you from your obligation to pay your pending bills. If the amounts due are not paid, we will take further appropriate action to secure settlement of your account. If your account remains suspended for over six months, once you settle your dues, you will need to provide technical certification of your internal electrical system by a licensed electrician or a warranted engineer – at your own expense – before your supply can be restored following settlement of dues.

If you repeatedly fail to settle your invoices in time, we reserve the right to introduce additional measures to safeguard our interests.

You may refer to the Electricity Connection and Supply Regulations (S.L.545.41) and www.smartutilities.com.mt for further details.

Billing queries and disagreement
ARMS is committed to make sure that the invoices you receive are accurate and easy to understand. If you have any queries about your invoices, you can contact ARMS for further assistance.

If you believe that your invoices need to be reviewed, we encourage you to inform ARMS immediately. We recommend that you pay for the amount that you believe you actually incurred, until your dispute is settled. This will avoid the consequences of non-payment indicated above, if your claim is found to have been unjustified.

If your pending dispute is based on valid and reasonable arguments, we will avoid disconnecting your supply until the issue is settled. However, if your dispute is unjustified, we reserve the right to take any action applicable by law, including suspension of supply, to recover the payments due.

If we disconnect your account due to non-payment or any other irregularity, the applicable service charge will continue to be invoiced to your account even during the period of disconnection.

If you are not satisfied with the ARMS review of your invoice, you may consider alternative dispute resolution options available to our customers.

Relief of liability
You can only be relieved of your obligation to continue paying the service charge and consumption fees when you complete the appropriate ARMS procedure to terminate your service, which includes the removal of your electricity meter and related equipment and settlement of all pending dues. If you abandon your property without first terminating your service through this process, you will remain liable for payment of the annual service charge, as well as any electricity consumed by third parties.

 

 

 

Grid-connected renewable energy systems

As the electricity network operator, we are responsible for providing you with the necessary metering and connection equipment to use your renewable energy generators (such as wind turbines or photovoltaic panels), to feed electricity to the grid.

Grid-connected renewable energy generators are regulated by the Regulator for Energy and Water Services. Before connecting a renewable energy source (RES), such as photovoltaic panels, to the national electricity grid, you need to obtain written approval from the Regulator for Electricity and Water Services (REWS).

If you are interested in connecting a RES to the national electricity grid, you would need to apply via the one-stop shop as per link below:

ONE STOP SHOP

 

 

Approval of systems greater than 16 A per phase (without Volt-VAR) or 20A per phase (with Volt-VAR)

For any renewable energy system (RES) greater than 16 Amperes per phase (without Volt-VAR) or 20A per phase (with Volt-VAR), you would also need a No Objection document from Enemalta plc. To provide this document, Enemalta will conduct a grid connection study.

The procedure followed by Enemalta to conduct the grid connection study and provide the No Objection document, and some other important related details are shown on: 

Kindly refer to the below costs for grid connection studies: 

> 11kWac and ≤ 40kWac – €0

> 40kWac and ≤ 100kWac – €150

> 100kWac and ≤ 500kWac – €350

> 500kWac and ≤ 3.2MWac – €750

> 3.2MWac and ≤ 8MWac – €1,500

> 8MW and ≤ 30MW – €2,500

> 30MWac – by quotation

 

Bank details: 

Bank: Bank of Valletta plc

Beneficiary: Enemalta plc

Sort Code: 22415

IBAN: MT44VALL22013000000040014873296

Swift Code: VALLMTMT

 

PV applications not for ITB

Speculative applications (spproved by Enemalta preliminary grid study) are valid for one month.

Updating of grid study and quote are valid for one month.

No objection letter is valid for one year.

PV applications for ITB

 

For PV applications for ITB you would need to follow the link below:  

How to apply for an EV meter

Owners of electric vehicles (EV) who wish to start charging their vehicle at the comfort of their home may now apply for this service.

EV owners may apply for an EV meter and charged with preferential rates. For Domestic and Residential applicants, a fixed flat rate of €0.1298 per unit applies when charging their vehicle during the off-peak hours (00.00 am – 05.59 am; 12.00 pm – 15.59 pm daily and all day on Sundays), as stipulated in the Electricity Connection and Supply Regulations (S.L.545.41). The units consumed during on-peak hours will be added to the total current consumption of the household; whereby respective electricity tariff bands apply.

Non residential applicants having an EV meter, are charged a fixed flat rate of €0.1298 per unit during off-peak hours and a fixed rate of €0.1485 per unit during the remaining peak hours.

The consumption of the EV charger will be measured by a separate meter. 

Those interested in this service should fill in ARMS form EV.

Technical requirements prior to installation may be viewed here

The enclosed FAQ’s will provide you with further information on this newly launched service.

• Installation requirements
• Application process
• Charging of EV and Tariffs
• Technical Queries
• Post Installation Service

 

When things go wrong

Our customer care and customer technical response teams are constantly trained to assist you when you experience difficulties in using our services. 

Power cuts and other technical emergencies
If your power supply is interrupted, you must call us on our 24/7 helpline, 8000 2224 or visit our power cuts page on this website. Our customer care team will guide you through a number of steps to determine the cause of your power cut. This may be due to a planned network maintenance operation in your area, non-payment of pending invoices, a fault in your internal electricity circuit or a fault in the electricity distribution system supplying your property.

When you report the interruption, we may inform you that we are already aware of the power disruption in your area and that our technicians are working to restore supply. In other cases – for example, if a technical problem is affecting electricity supply to your property only – we will dispatch our customer technical response teams to identify the fault and restore supply as soon as possible.

You may also get in touch with us to help you with other related difficulties, such as:

• reporting loose connections, flickering lights or other technical difficulties in your electricity supply;
• informing us about damaged or dangerous electricity distribution equipment, including broken aerial lines, low hanging lines, dislodged cable brackets and sparks;
• requesting emergency support or supply disconnection due to severe damage to your property (including fire);
• reporting meter difficulties, such as meters that stopped recording consumption, meters that are under or over recording consumption and broken or missing meter seals. 

Setting things right
If you are dissatisfied with one of our services or with the level of support that we provide you, kindly let us know and give us an opportunity to improve your experience. Get in touch with us by email, call us or visit our customer care team offices , so that we can take the necessary action to improve our services to you and avoid repeating similar situations with other customers.

Whilst we understand your disappointment, we kindly ask that you remain calm and express your dissatisfaction politely. We may not be able to provide you with a solution immediately, especially if you are contacting us by phone. However, we are committed to getting back to you within a reasonable timeframe and inform you of the actions taken to tackle your difficulties. 

Claims for damages
If you feel that one of our services, operations or employees caused damages to your property or belongings, you may submit a Claim for Damages Application to our customer care team . We will investigate your claim and look into all the facts of the case and any related regulations. If we confirm that we are liable for the damages you incurred in line with applicable legislation, we will offer appropriate compensation.

You may find further details about our compensation procedure in the Claim for Damages Application Form:

Unreasonable and unjustified claims, or claims that are not supported by the proper documented evidence of the damages involved, cannot be considered. 

Advisory Board
If you are dissatisfied with our decision about your claim for damages, about your pending bills or any other issue related to our services, you may request to have your case reconsidered by an independent Advisory Board.

You may submit your appeal to the Advisory Board by submitting the Advisory Board Application Form to our customer care team .

This Board can review cases involving claimed compensation amounts of up to a maximum of €3,500. It will give you an opportunity to explain your case and consider the positions of all parties involved, including Enemalta and ARMS. The Board will then issue a report containing its recommendations within a few weeks.

We will consider the recommendations of this board and take appropriate action, as necessary. You will receive a copy of these recommendations as well.

You may also consider submitting your complaint for dispute resolution by the Regulator for Energy and Water Services, as specified in the Dispute Resolution (Procedures) Regulations (S.L.545.30).

Other services

You may need other electricity services from our Company. We are committed to offer these services at a fair price and within a reasonable timeframe. To request one of these services, kindly fill in the appropriate application form and submit it to ARMS . Each application form includes details about relevant regulations and terms and conditions as well as a list of documents which are necessary for the service you are interested in.   
Here are some of the services you may require: 

Alteration of Electricity Service
Request this service when you need to increase or decrease the contracted load of your electricity supply, or when you need to shift your electricity meter to another, nearby, location within the same property.

Removal of Service
This service is required when you no longer need the electricity supply we provide you with and would like to remove the meter and all related equipment. This form must always be submitted when a building supplied with an electricity service by Enemalta is going to be demolished.

Deviations/Gaiters/Switching off Low Voltage Feeder
 Through these services, we can assist you by deviating or covering aerial lines that are close to sites or buildings, so that you can safely carry out maintenance, demolition or construction works. In certain cases, you may also request to temporarily disconnect low voltage cables passing through or close to a site or building, in order to carry out similar works safely. 

Other service application forms