[WATCH] Power restored after fire damages interconnector cable

CPD dispatched to Kappara distribution centre as engineers go underground to identify the fault • Minister Konrad Mizzi highlights importance of 'diversifying the energy mix'

The power cut was caused by a fire to the cables
The power cut was caused by a fire to the cables
Enemalta workers repairing the damage caused by the fire
Enemalta workers repairing the damage caused by the fire
Minister Konrad Mizzi (left) at the Kappara distribution centre
Minister Konrad Mizzi (left) at the Kappara distribution centre
CPD members and Enemalta engineers are on site at the Kappara distribution centre
CPD members and Enemalta engineers are on site at the Kappara distribution centre

Video is unavailable at this time.

A fire located some 600 metres into the tunnel beneath the Kappara distribution centre damaged one of the interconnector cables, prompting an emergency interruption to the national power grid.

Enemalta confirmed that the national electricity grid experienced a disturbance causing safety systems to disrupt supply to several areas in the central part of Malta.

"Supply to customers started being restored to most areas within 15 minutes, but the other areas had to be switched off as a precaution to allow engineers, fire fighters and other officials to safely enter the tunnel connecting the Malta-Italy Interconnector to the national grid and check the infrastructure within," Enemalta said.

The electricity outage was first reported in San Gwann and surrounding localities at around 10:20am. Although electricity was restored within 30 minutes in several localities, Sliema included, power was suspended once again as a fire alarm informed Enemalta engineers of a fire inside the tunnel.

Fire damages interconnector cable

Safety precautions required Enemalta to switch off the interconnector as engineers and fire-fighters made their way inside the tunnel.

As soon as the fire was located, members of the Civil Protection Department acted swiftly; teams were split into groups of three and four, with an Enemalta official assisting the teams and two CPD members to put out any fire.

Being in a confined space with lack of oxygen and no outside communication, each team had a maximum of 35 minutes to go in and out with oxygen tanks.

Supply was restored to all consumers, except for a few small areas, including one of the country’s reverse osmosis plants, by 1320hrs.

Three 33kv cables and an interconnector cable - one out of three - were damaged in the fire. "A number of high voltage cables, including one of the 132 kV cables linking the Maghtab Interconnector Terminal to the national electricity grid, were damaged by the fire," Enemalta chairman Fredrik Azzopardi said.

CPD members and Enemalta engineers are on site at the Kappara distribution centre
CPD members and Enemalta engineers are on site at the Kappara distribution centre
CPD members and Enemalta engineers are on site at the Kappara distribution centre
CPD members and Enemalta engineers are on site at the Kappara distribution centre
CPD members and Enemalta engineers are on site at the Kappara distribution centre
CPD members and Enemalta engineers are on site at the Kappara distribution centre
CPD members and Enemalta engineers are on site at the Kappara distribution centre
CPD members and Enemalta engineers are on site at the Kappara distribution centre
CPD members and Enemalta engineers are on site at the Kappara distribution centre
CPD members and Enemalta engineers are on site at the Kappara distribution centre

In comments to the press at 12:30pm on site, minister Konrad Mizzi – who retains oversight for energy despite no longer being energy minister – said there were indications that a fire had taken place inside the tunnel at Kappara.

“We called the Civil Protection Department to intervene as smoke could be seen emerging from the tunnel and electricity was disconnected due to the cables. The cable interconnector was also switched off.”

Mizzi said the restoration of power was made possible through the use of a gas turbine – open cycle – at the Marsa power station and the Delimara ‘1’ turbines, which effectively means that all of the Delimara power station is currently swtiched on.

“We are in a position to provide energy to small areas of Malta until the interconnector is switched back on,” Mizzi said.

The minister took the opportunity to remind the press on the importance of having a diversified energy mix that does not depend solely on the Malta-Sicily interconnector: “Three cables caught fire, one of which was that of the interconnector.”

As he explained the procedure, Azzopardi said that an internal investigation by the company will be launched whilst the police will be kept informed of the outcome.

By switching on all its local generation capacity, including the older plants at Delimara and the three emergency open cycle gas turbines located at the Delimara Power Station and the Marsa Power Station site, Enemalta made up for the loss of capacity caused by the disconnection of the Interconnector.

This process, Azzopardi explained, Enemalta secured the necessary supply to provide for most of the country’s electricity demand.

As soon as the Civil Protection Department and the Enemalta engineers confirmed that the infrastructure within the tunnel not affected by the fire was safe to be re-used, Enemalta started reconnecting and synchronising the Maltese grid to the network in Sicily to continue importing electricity through the Interconnector.