Electricity demand reaches between 680MW and 700MW in the past month

Peak electricity demand has remained consistently high at between 680MW and 700MW over the past month, Enemalta has said.

While in previous years demand typically peaked between noon and 3pm, then rose again around 7pm as people returned home from work, the company said this summer has seen a marked change in consumption patterns, with peak levels lasting longer during the day.

Demand is now reaching high levels from around midday and remaining elevated until late in the evening, compared with previous summers when consumption tended to ease between 3pm and 7pm.

The trend comes as Malta awaits an upcoming heatwave, with the Malta Meteorological Office issuing an orange warning on Monday as the country enters the last week of meteorological summer.

According to the Meteorological Office at Malta International Airport, the maximum temperature is expected to reach 34°C on Monday and Tuesday, rising to between 36°C and 37°C from Wednesday through to Sunday, with the 'feels like' temperature climbing above 40°C.

The trend also comes against a backdrop of sharply rising household electricity use.

The company cited recent Eurostat data showing that electricity consumption by Maltese households increased by almost 66% between 2015 and 2024, the highest increase in the EU and well above the EU-wide rise of just over 3% during the same period.

In 2023, Malta recorded what was then an all-time peak of 663MW. That record was surpassed last month when demand climbed to 741MW, almost 12% higher.

With high temperatures expected to continue over the coming days, electricity demand is expected to remain elevated. Enemalta is encouraging customers, including commercial entities, to use electricity efficiently without compromising their comfort or health.

Setting air-conditioning at around 25°C provides effective cooling while avoiding unnecessary energy use, Enemalta said.

To use air conditioning efficiently and effectively, customers should keep doors and windows closed and cool only the rooms they are actually using.