Enemalta responds to fire emergency in network tunnels

26.08.2017

Enemalta plc employees have been working throughout the night to repair extensive network damages, after a fire in one of the Company’s electricity distribution tunnels disrupted supply to customers in parts of St Julian’s and nearby localities early on Saturday morning.

The Company’s 24/7 Network Planning and Operations Control Centre registered a network disturbance at the Company’s St Andrew’s 33 kV Distribution Centre, in Pembroke, at 0026hrs on Saturday morning. The distribution centre was disconnected from the national grid, disrupting electricity supply to customers in parts of St Julian’s, Pembroke, Magħtab, Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, Swieqi and San Ġwann.

As soon as the fire in the tunnel supplying this distribution centre was identified, Civil Protection Department firefighters arrived at the Distribution Centre to enter the smoke-filled tunnel and extinguish the flames. The burning cables were located several hundred metres inside the underground tunnel. Enemalta officials and engineers were also on site to assess the damages as soon as it was safe to enter the tunnel.

Works to repair the 33 kV cables damaged by the fire and reconnect the St Andrew’s Distribution Centre to the national grid started as soon as the Civil Protection Department confirmed it was safe for the engineers and technicians to reach the incident area. Several Enemalta employees are still inside the tunnel and will continue working throughout the day to complete the repairs.

In the meantime, electricity supply to the customers affected started being gradually restored to some of the customers affected, through alternative connections. A few small areas in parts of Swieqi, Pembroke and Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq will be reconnected to the network as soon as the cable repair works are completed.

Enemalta plc is looking into the incident to identify and implement any measures that may be required to minimise the risk of similar difficulties.

Whilst thanking its employees, the Civil Protection Department and the Police for swiftly responding to the emergency during the night, the Company regrets any inconvenience caused by this difficulty.